Brazilian equities closed slightly higher on Thursday, with the benchmark Bovespa finishing the session up 0.06% in Sao Paulo. Strength in the Basic Materials, Electric Power and Telecoms sectors provided support for the market, though the internals showed more stocks falling than rising.
The session's strongest performers on the Bovespa were Minerva SA/Brazil (BVMF:BEEF3), which jumped 7.00% - a gain of 0.25 points - to finish at 3.82; Marcopolo SA (BVMF:POMO4), which gained 6.46% or 0.27 points to close at 4.47; and SLC Agrícola SA (BVMF:SLCE3), up 5.72% or 0.82 points to 15.15 at the close.
Conversely, the heaviest declines were concentrated in a few names. Grupo Vamos SA (BVMF:VAMO3) slid 8.49%, losing 0.23 points to end at 2.48, while Hapvida Participacoes e Investimentos (BVMF:HAPV3) fell 7.16%, a decline of 0.47 points to 6.11. Cury Construtora e Incorporadora S (BVMF:CURY3) dropped 4.77%, down 1.50 points to finish at 30.02.
Market breadth on the B3 Stock Exchange skewed negative, with 581 stocks declining versus 383 advancing, and 37 issues unchanged.
Two stocks recorded notable low marks in the session: Grupo Vamos (BVMF:VAMO3) reached an all-time low, closing at 2.48 after the 8.49% fall, while Hapvida (BVMF:HAPV3) hit a 52-week low, closing at 6.11 following its 7.16% drop.
Volatility gauges reflected increased option-market unease for Brazilian equities. The CBOE Brazil ETF Volatility index rose 4.08% to 27.28.
Commodities markets showed mixed moves during the session. Gold futures for December delivery rose 0.69%, adding 31.16 to settle at $4,576.46 a troy ounce. October crude oil futures gained 2.58%, up 2.18 to $86.57 a barrel. The December US coffee C contract ticked up 0.03%, or 0.10, to trade at $328.30.
Currency markets saw the Brazilian real weaken modestly against major currencies: USD/BRL was up 0.39% at 5.19, and EUR/BRL rose 0.36% to 6.07. The US Dollar Index Futures logged a small increase of 0.08%, trading at 98.81.
Session snapshot
- Bovespa close: +0.06%
- Top gainers: BEEF3 +7.00%, POMO4 +6.46%, SLCE3 +5.72%
- Top decliners: VAMO3 -8.49%, HAPV3 -7.16%, CURY3 -4.77%
- Volatility: CBOE Brazil ETF Volatility +4.08% to 27.28