SÃO PAULO – Brazil’s Ibovespa stock index closed marginally lower on Friday, finishing the session at 136,341, as strong earnings from key financial and food-sector companies were counteracted by a sharp decline in aerospace giant Embraer.
Investors navigated a day of significant corporate news while also keeping a cautious eye on the geopolitical landscape, particularly the upcoming meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war in Ukraine.
Providing a significant boost to the index was Banco do Brasil, which jumped 3.4% following the release of its positive earnings report. Given the bank’s substantial weight in the Ibovespa, its performance provided a meaningful floor for the market.
The food sector also saw a surge, with meatpackers BRF and Marfrig soaring 5.3% and 8.9%, respectively, after both companies posted upbeat results.
However, these gains were largely offset by a steep 3.8% drop in the shares of Embraer. The stock was hit hard by news of a board-level shakeup, specifically the resignation of Pedro Farcic, which fueled investor concerns over corporate governance and weighed heavily on the broader index.
