Ibovespa Slips on Inflation Surprise and Middle East War Uncertainty
2026-03-26 14:02
By
Isabela Couto
1 min. read
The Ibovespa lost about 0.5% to trade below 185,000 on Thursday, pressured by higher-than-expected mid-month inflation and mixed Middle East war signals.
The IPCA-15's momentum slowed in March after seasonal back-to-school effects faded, but food and personal expenses kept inflation above expectations.
While the 12-month rate eased, it remains above the 3.0% target, adding pressure on the base rate outlook while Iran conflict-driven oil rises with no clear end in sight could further complicate central banks' rate decisions.
Major banks posted losses: Itaú down 1%, Bradesco 0.6%.
Utilities traded negative, with Axia and Sabesp shedding over 1%.
Other laggards included Vale down 0.6%, WEG down 0.6%, and Ambev down 0.5%.
Petrobras gained near 1% on higher oil prices.
Americanas surged near 17% after filing to exit judicial recovery, selling assets, and reporting sharp Q4 2025 improvement versus Q4 2024.