Rate cuts, strong economy boost Brazilian debt markets.(Brief Article)

SAO PAULO- Lower interest rates and strong economic performance have prompted the government and private companies to enter international debt markets with a surge of new issues.

Leading the charge is the Central Bank (BC), which recently announced the second cut in two months of the key Selic interest rate. The rate, the equivalent of the US discount rate, was lowered from 15.75% to 15.25%, the lowest since 1986.

Nearly two years after the Asia crisis, credit rating agency Standard & Poor's upgraded Brazil's debt rating from B minus to BB minus, its grade before ...

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