Brazil's Economy Remains On Fire
When it came to Brazil, it used to be the girl from Ipanema that had people saying "Ahhh." Lately, though, it's the country's hot economy that brings on sighs of satisfaction.
Right now, iShares MSCI Brazil Index Fund (AMEX:EWZ - News) reflects that. The exchange traded fund, which tracks the performance of the Morgan Stanley Capital International Brazilian Market Index, hit its all-time high of 52.28 on Monday. The 44-company fund has jumped 50% since January 2006.
Last week it was announced that iShares MSCI Brazil Index Fund options will open with position limits of 25,000,000 shares. The options will trade on the March expiration cycle. The specialist will be Susquehanna Investment Group.
South America's largest market has remained mostly bullish from late September through the first quarter of 2007. The country's debt has fallen. And GDP is up.
China Play
In addition to a surge in Brazilian energy and industrial markets -- Brazil exports tons of raw materials to building-hungry China -- the Ibovespa (an index of about 50 companies that trades on Brazil's Sao Paulo exchange) hit new highs 29 times in 2006, celebrating its most recent all-time high Dec. 27.
What's fueling the growth?
Partial credit can go to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Since his election in 2003, Lula has helped boost the country's currency by 69%, begun a highly disciplined monetary policy and helped shift a trade deficit into a massive surplus.
But Brazil's current symbiosis with China also plays a hefty part. For most of 2006, Brazil was China's largest trade partner in Latin America.
It's a trend that shows no signs of slowing. When Brazilian sugar cane giant Farias announced last month that it will build new ethanol mills, Chinese investors were major backers.
Oil Prices
If energy needs remain stable, Brazil's future looks just as bright. Oil prices have been rising steadily as Middle East tensions rise, and Brazilian energy producers stand to profit strongly.
The fund's top holding, Rio de Janeiro-based Petrobras (NYSE:PBR - News), is reaping the benefits of the geopolitical situation. The company saw earnings per share climb 20% last year, from $9.13 in 2005 to $10.97 in 2006. In the last month, its low IBD Relative Strength rating jumped from a 46 to a 69.
Brazilian mining powerhouse Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (NYSE:RIO - News) has two share classes represented in the fund's top five holdings. The largest mining company in the Western Hemisphere suffered when the bottom fell out of the China market in February, but the stock hit a new all-time high of 40.49 on Monday.
Rio Doce's earnings per share jumped 27% for the year, from $1.92 in 2005 to $2.44 in 2006.
Published by Joanne Von Alroth at Investor's Business Daily
Right now, iShares MSCI Brazil Index Fund (AMEX:EWZ - News) reflects that. The exchange traded fund, which tracks the performance of the Morgan Stanley Capital International Brazilian Market Index, hit its all-time high of 52.28 on Monday. The 44-company fund has jumped 50% since January 2006.
Last week it was announced that iShares MSCI Brazil Index Fund options will open with position limits of 25,000,000 shares. The options will trade on the March expiration cycle. The specialist will be Susquehanna Investment Group.
South America's largest market has remained mostly bullish from late September through the first quarter of 2007. The country's debt has fallen. And GDP is up.
China Play
In addition to a surge in Brazilian energy and industrial markets -- Brazil exports tons of raw materials to building-hungry China -- the Ibovespa (an index of about 50 companies that trades on Brazil's Sao Paulo exchange) hit new highs 29 times in 2006, celebrating its most recent all-time high Dec. 27.
What's fueling the growth?
Partial credit can go to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Since his election in 2003, Lula has helped boost the country's currency by 69%, begun a highly disciplined monetary policy and helped shift a trade deficit into a massive surplus.
But Brazil's current symbiosis with China also plays a hefty part. For most of 2006, Brazil was China's largest trade partner in Latin America.
It's a trend that shows no signs of slowing. When Brazilian sugar cane giant Farias announced last month that it will build new ethanol mills, Chinese investors were major backers.
Oil Prices
If energy needs remain stable, Brazil's future looks just as bright. Oil prices have been rising steadily as Middle East tensions rise, and Brazilian energy producers stand to profit strongly.
The fund's top holding, Rio de Janeiro-based Petrobras (NYSE:PBR - News), is reaping the benefits of the geopolitical situation. The company saw earnings per share climb 20% last year, from $9.13 in 2005 to $10.97 in 2006. In the last month, its low IBD Relative Strength rating jumped from a 46 to a 69.
Brazilian mining powerhouse Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (NYSE:RIO - News) has two share classes represented in the fund's top five holdings. The largest mining company in the Western Hemisphere suffered when the bottom fell out of the China market in February, but the stock hit a new all-time high of 40.49 on Monday.
Rio Doce's earnings per share jumped 27% for the year, from $1.92 in 2005 to $2.44 in 2006.
Published by Joanne Von Alroth at Investor's Business Daily
posted by Stock Administrator @ 9:07 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home