* Brazil’s national statistics institute (Ibge) has released the latest consumer price index which put monthly inflation in March at 0.69%, bringing annual inflation to 5.36%. Inflation slowed compared with February, when monthly inflation was 0.84% and annual inflation was 5.60%. Monthly inflation in March was driven by price rises in transport (+0.08%), health and personal care (+1.18%), and accommodation (+0.81%). The only category in which prices fell was domestic goods (-0.18%). The slowing of inflation comes amid ongoing tensions between the central bank (BCB) and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who slammed the BCB’s decision on 23 March to maintain the benchmark interest rate at 13.75%.
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