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☆ Analysis: Lula, Bolsonaro and market look to cure Brazil consumer debt hangover
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Tatiana Bautzer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

With nearly 70 million Brazilians blacklisted by credit agency Serasa, owing 290 billion reais ($54.4 billion), debt relief is smart politics in a closely fought presidential campaign, ahead of an Oct. 30 runoff vote. Advisers say he would focus first on 95 billion reais of unpaid bills accumulated by families earning up to 3,600 reais ($676) per month. Later steps would focus on incentives to restructure bank debt, for this population. Looking to steal his thunder, right-wing incumbent Jair Bolsonaro announced a program offering a sharp discount on bank debts. But the scope is far more modest, applying to some 4 million borrowers from state bank Caixa Economica Federal, which estimated about 1 billion reais of restructuring.

☆ Brazil's Natura mulls U.S. IPO, spin-off of luxury Aesop brand
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SAO PAULO, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Brazilian cosmetics company Natura & Co (NTCO3.SA) on Monday said it has begun studying a possible initial public offering (IPO) in the United States or spin-off of its Aesop brand, as it looks to fund its expansion. Natura said that in the event of an IPO or spin-off the luxury cosmetics brand would continue to be led by its current chief executive, Michael O'Keeffe. Natura reported a wider-than-expected quarterly net loss in August, as inflation and tough market conditions put pressure on in its margins. It said at the time it planned to increase the accountability of its business units after years of expansion fueled by high-profile acquisitions. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Peter Frontini; Editing by Mark Porter and Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Brazil's Bolsonaro and Lula spar in first debate of runoff campaign
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Former Brazil's President and presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Brazil's President and candidate for re-election Jair Bolsonaro attend a Presidential Debate ahead of the runoff election, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 16, 2022. REUTERS/Mariana GreifBRASILIA, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Right-wing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and leftist former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attacked each others' records in office on Sunday in the first debate of the second round of Brazil's election. Lula won 48% of the votes in the first round of the election on Oct. 2 against 43% for Bolsonaro, whose unexpectedly strong performance set the stage for a competitive runoff on Oct 30. In a heated campaign to win swing votes, both candidates have ramped up their rhetoric, and delivered bruising personal attacks in TV ads. Bolsonaro's campaign was counting on Sunday's debate to help close the gap with Lula, who still has a lead of roughly 5 percentage points, based on surveys by pollster Datafolha.

☆ Bolsonaro ally running for Sao Paulo governor says campaign event 'attacked'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAO PAULO, Oct 17 (Reuters) - A close ally of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro running for governor of Sao Paulo, Tarcisio Freitas, said a campaign event was "attacked by criminals" on Monday in the Paraisopolis neighborhood of the state capital. Sao Paulo Public Security Secretary Joao Camilo Campos said that preliminary information suggested there had not been an attack targeting Freitas, although investigators had not ruled out any hypothesis. Officials confirmed a man was killed near the site of the campaign event, but provided no further details. During a visit to the 1st University Hub of Paraisopolis, we were attacked by criminals. Our security team was quickly reinforced with brilliant work by the @PMESP (Sao Paulo Military Police).

☆ Afghan refugees camp out in Brazilian airport in search of new life
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Fernando Cardoso | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Brazil has approved about 6,000 humanitarian visas for Afghan refugees since late last year. But local authorities near Sao Paulo's Guarulhos airport said they had little idea there would be dozens of Afghans arriving daily this month. The refugees told Reuters they arrived without promises of a place to stay and now the local government is scuttling to find places for them outside the airport grounds. Afghan women talk near makeshift tents made out of blankets as they camp at Sao Paulo International airport in search of refuge in Guarulhos, Brazil, October 12, 2022. The Sao Paulo state government is working with municipal authorities and civil society to attend to basic needs of the arriving refugees.

Companies Apple Inc FollowSAO PAULO, Oct 13 (Reuters) - A Brazilian court on Thursday fined Apple Inc (AAPL.O) 100 million reais ($19 million) and ruled that battery chargers must come with new iPhones sold in the country. The Sao Paulo state court ruled against Apple in a lawsuit, filed by the association of borrowers, consumers and taxpayers, that argued that the company commits abusive practices by selling its flagship product without a charger. Apple said it will appeal the decision. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterPreviously, the tech firm argued that the practice had the purpose of reducing carbon emissions. ($1 = 5.2622 reais)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Beatriz Garcia; Writing by Peter Frontini; Editing by David GregorioOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Lula lead narrows to less than 5 points in Brazil election - AtlasIntel survey
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRASILIA, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Brazilian presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's polling lead over incumbent Jair Bolsonaro has narrowed to less than 5 percentage points, according to a new opinion survey published on Thursday by pollster AtlasIntel. In its first poll since the first-round vote on Oct. 2, pollster AtlasIntel found 51.1% of voters for Lula and 46.5% behind Bolsonaro. Excluding undecided voters and null votes, Lula has 52.4% support and Bolsonaro 47.6%. AtlasIntel was one of several polling firms criticized for underestimating support for Bolsonaro in the first round, although it was closer than several more traditional pollsters. AtlasIntel had registered a 9-point lead for Lula ahead of that vote, when in fact the difference was just 5 points.

☆ Consumer prices in Brazil down for the third month on lower fuel costs
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Prices are displayed at a market in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, September 2, 2021. The benchmark IPCA index (BRCPI=ECI) fell 0.29% last month, IBGE said, a smaller drop than the 0.34% forecast by economists polled by Reuters and slowing down from the 0.36% fall seen in the previous month. The transportation sector once again led consumer prices down in Brazil in September, posting a 1.98% drop, while food and beverage prices fell for the first time since November 2021, IBGE said. Reuters GraphicsIn the 12 months through September, inflation reached 7.17%, down from 8.73% in the previous month though slightly above the 7.1% forecast. "But with some goods and services inflation still rising, and the headline rate far above target, a shift towards interest rate cuts remains a long way off," he added.

☆ Lula remains ahead of Bolsonaro in Brazil runoff -poll
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SAO PAULO, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Brazilian presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva slightly broadened his lead over incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro ahead of the Oct. 30 runoff vote, according to a survey by pollster IPEC published on Monday. Lula's voter support reached 51% against 42% for Bolsonaro, compared with 51% and 43%, respectively, in the previous poll. The survey by IPEC interviewed 2,000 people on Oct. 8-10 and has a margin of error of 2 percentage points up or down. IPEC was one of several polling firms criticized for underestimating support for Bolsonaro in the first-round vote early this month. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Peter Frontini and Carolina Pulice; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Bolsonaro's outsider aura dims after Brazil's four tough years
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( Gabriel Stargardter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Brazil's President and candidate for re-election Jair Bolsonaro attends a campaign rally in Santos in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Amanda PerobelliRIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro once said only God could remove him from power. A career politician turned self-styled outsider, the tough-talking Bolsonaro was elected in 2018 on vows to clean up Brazil's graft-stained politics and modernize its economy. Prior to becoming president, Bolsonaro was known as a fringe conservative congressman, popular among police and soldiers in his Rio de Janeiro base. But with hunger still haunting some 33 million Brazilians, Bolsonaro is not getting much credit.

☆ Brazil's inflation extends downtrend in mid-September on lower fuel prices
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Gabriel Araujo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Inflation in the 12 months to mid-September hit 7.96%, well below the 8.14% forecast by economists, likely backing the central bank's recent decision of pausing its aggressive rate hiking cycle. Adding to energy state tax cuts announced earlier this year, oil giant Petroleo Brasileiro SA reduced refinery gate gasoline prices twice since mid-August, leading to lower prices at the pump. The inflation drop in September, however, was not widespread as prices fell in only three of the nine groups of products and services surveyed, IBGE said - communication, food and beverages, and transportation. The latest inflation data comes as Brazil's central bank last week chose to keep interest rates unchanged at 13.75%, pausing an aggressive tightening after 12 consecutive increases aimed at curbing high inflation. William Jackson, chief emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, said the inflation figures confirmed that the monetary tightening cycle was over.

☆ Lula challenges Bolsonaro's grip on Brazil evangelical vote
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Jimin Kang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterShe is far from the only evangelical Christian in Brazil dancing around that delicate matter. Although Bolsonaro and his allies have worked to transform Brazil's fast-growing evangelical churches into the bedrock of his political base, this year's campaign has shown the limits of that electoral strategy. After Bolsonaro won the evangelical vote two-to-one in 2018, many more evangelicals — especially poorer women — are weighing a vote for Lula, whose legacy of generous social programs speaks powerfully to Brazil's less affluent evangelical voters. Even as Bolsonaro has built up an advantage over Lula in the heat of the campaign, he struggled to break past 50% of the evangelical vote in recent Datafolha surveys. Looking to bolster the 'shy' Lula vote among evangelicals, the Workers Party (PT) is partnering with leftist pastors like Paulo Marcelo Schallenberger, whose sermons aim to counter the party's "demonization" in evangelical circles.

Parafin, launched in 2020, works with so-called platform partners, or companies that other small businesses sell their products through. All the cofounders knew was that they wanted to build technology that would help small businesses. And they may not get their first contract payment from the government for as long as 120 days," Reed, the startup's CEO, told Insider. Helping small businesses manage their taxesComplYant's founder Shiloh Jackson wants to help people be present in their bookkeeping. HoneyBookWhile countless small businesses have been harmed by the pandemic, self-employment and entrepreneurship have found ways to blossom as Americans started new ventures.

☆ Cops on Brazil's campaign trail call for backup as violence spikes
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Gabriel Stargardter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

They asked the top Federal Police officers in each state to reinforce Lula campaign events with bulletproof cars, tactical teams, drones and intelligence reports. Some of them have responded by stockpiling guns and lashing out at leftists during a tense campaign marred by high-profile cases of violence. Ten years of troubles have resulted in stark political polarization - embodied by Lula and Bolsonaro - that has become increasingly menacing on the campaign trail. BOLSONARO STRONGHOLDSThe Federal Police have also sought to open two other criminal probes over threats to Lula, according to the source. Lula has just 27% support in Santa Catarina, against 49% for Bolsonaro, according to the latest survey by pollster Ipec.

☆ India's Blade signs order for up to 200 electric aircraft from Embraer's Eve
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SAO PAULO, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Brazil's Eve Holding Inc (EVEX.N) said on Tuesday that Blade India has signed a purchase order for up to 200 of its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOLs), allowing it to expand its urban air mobility ecosystem in the Asian country. A joint venture between Hunch Ventures and Blade Air Mobility (BLDE.O), Blade India will also collaborate with Eve - which is controlled by planemaker Embraer SA (EMBR3.SA) - on a three-month pilot project connecting passengers using helicopters, the company said in a statement. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Steven GrattanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Fires in Brazil's Amazon surge in September, worst month since 2010
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Gabriel Araujo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Smoke from a fire rises into the air as trees burn amongst vegetation in the Brazil's Amazon rainforest, in Apui, Amazonas state, Brazil, September 5, 2021. REUTERS/Bruno Kelly/File PhotoSAO PAULO, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Fires in Brazil's Amazon rainforest have surged in September, already making it the worst month in more than a decade, government data showed on Monday, after a jump in deforestation during an election year. Destruction of Brazil's rainforest often picks up in election years, when law enforcement typically ebbs and loggers race ahead with plans ahead of a possible shift in conservation policy. "Fires are not a natural phenomenon in the Amazon rainforest. Data also showed that 1,661 square kilometers (641 square miles) were cleared in the Amazon last month, an 81% increase from the same period in 2021.

☆ Buffett-backed Nubank reaches 70 million clients
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermidSAO PAULO, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Brazil's Nubank has reached 70 million clients across its three operating countries, Latin America's largest financial technology company said on Monday. In Mexico, Nubank's user grew to 3.2 million users while adding 400,000 in Colombia, the fintech said. The fintech, considered one of Latin America's chief proponents of expanding access to the financial system, also said its investment services business in Brazil surpassed 6 million active clients. Its crypto exchange, launched in July, had 1.8 million clients, Nubank said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Peter Frontini; Editing by Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Lula remains ahead of Bolsonaro as Brazil election looms -poll
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterFormer Brazil's President and candidate for presidential election Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attends a campaign rally in Portela Samba School in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, September 25, 2022. REUTERS/Ricardo MoraesSAO PAULO, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Brazil presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva slightly widened his lead over President Jair Bolsonaro less than a week before the South American country's election, a poll by IPEC released on Monday showed. In a first-round vote scheduled for Oct. 2, Lula reached 48% of voters' support against 31% for Bolsonaro, compared with 47% and 31% respectively, in the same poll a week ago, the survey showed. According to the poll, Lula could win the race in the first round, since he holds 52% of voters' intentions excluding abstentions and null votes. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Carolina Pulice and Peter Frontini; Editing by Chris Reese and Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ A United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Newark. A video appears to show sparks coming from the plane after takeoff.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Newark, New Jersey on Thursday. Flight-tracking site FlightAware shows that the plane set off at 11:01 p.m. local time on Wednesday but was diverted. United Airline's website says the plane ultimately left Newark early Thursday afternoon. United Airlines websiteThe Federal Aviation Administration is investigating what happened with the flight, CNN reported. United Airlines told Reuters that it had started the inspections and was working with the FAA to return the planes to service.

☆ Mubadala withdraws offer for Brazil's Burger King brand owner
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SAO PAULO, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Brazil's Zamp SA (BKBR3.SA), which owns the Burger King brand in the South American country, said on Friday that Abu Dhabi state investor Mubadala has revoked its tender offer to purchase a controlling stake in the company. Mubadala had offered 8.31 reais ($1.61) per share to buy a 45.15% stake in Zamp but decided to drop out of the deal, saying it had failed to obtain confirmation on whether the transaction would imply the termination of Zamp's franchise and trademark licensing agreements. read more($1 = 5.1670 reais)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Gabriel Araujo Editing by David GoodmanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ United Airlines flight circles over Atlantic for hours, makes emergency landing over mechanical issue
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Jay Blackman | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

A United Airlines flight from New Jersey to Brazil ended up circling over the Atlantic Ocean for nearly two hours Wednesday and making an emergency landing because of a mechanical issue, flight officials said. Flight 149 departed from Newark Liberty International Airport at 11 p.m. ET Wednesday night, bound for São Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport with 256 passengers on board, according to the flight's history. The plane experienced a “mechanical issue shortly after takeoff,” United Airlines said in a statement, revealing that initial maintenance inspection points to a hydraulic pump issue. The plane, a Boeing 777-200, landed after the crew reported an "emergency," the Federal Aviation Administration said, noting that an investigation was underway.

A man runs past banners with photos of presidential candidates, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, Ciro Gomes and former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil September 1, 2022. Faced with that and the likely return of a left-wing government in next month's election, some investors have moved to the sidelines. Despite this year's chaotic news flow, Petrobras has so far vindicated the bulls in the local market. "Petrobras shares are really cheap," said one Sao Paulo fund manager with about 20 billion reais ($3.9 billion) under management. Like many interviewed for this article, he requested anonymity to talk frankly about the state firm amid a heated election.

Indigenous Sonia Guajajara, head of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) organisation and candidate for federal deputy, takes part in an interview in Sao Paulo, Brazil, September 21, 2022. REUTERS/Amanda PerobelliSAO PAULO, Sept 22 (Reuters) - A record number of indigenous leaders, most of them women, are running for federal office in Brazil's election next month, in a backlash against the policies of President Jair Bolsonaro. "This election is crucial," said Sonia Guajajara, head of Brazil's main indigenous umbrella organization, the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), who is running for Congress. "Today, it is the women who are taking up the fight and leading the struggle of indigenous people in Brazil." Four decades passed before the election of another indigenous representative in Congress – a woman, Joenia Wapichana, from the state of Roraima.

☆ Lula leads Bolsonaro by 14 points ahead of Brazil vote -Datafolha poll
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterFormer Brazilian President and presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gestures near his wife, Rosangela Da Silva, during the rally "Todos Juntos pelo Rio Grande do Sul" (All Together for Rio Grande do Sul) in Porto Alegre, Brazil, September 16, 2022. REUTERS/Diego Vara/File PhotoSAO PAULO, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Brazil's presidential frontrunner Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva leads incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro by 14 points in a poll published on Thursday by pollster Datafolha, less than two weeks before the Oct. 2 first-round vote. The Datafolha survey showed Lula with 47% voter support versus 33% for Bolsonaro in the election's first round, compared with 45% and 33%, respectively, in the previous poll. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Peter Frontini and Pedro Fonseca; Editing by David Alire GarciaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Brazil's Lula expects to reach trade agreement with EU in six months if elected
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterFormer Brazilian President and presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attends a rally in Curitiba, Brazil, September 17, 2022. REUTERS/Rodolfo Buhrer/File PhotoSAO PAULO, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Brazilian presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday he should reach an agreement on a trade deal between South America's Mercosur trade bloc and the European Union within six months, if he wins October's presidential election. The former president and front-running candidate told Canal Rural, a farming-focused local broadcaster, that Brazil needed the deal and must export as much as possible, especially in the agricultural sector. Last month, sources told Reuters that EU representatives had approached Brazil's government seeking to rekindle talks with Mercosur bloc, made up of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Negotiations for a deal had been completed in 2019, but environmental concerns stalled the deal before it was approved by the legislatures of the EU member states.

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