Brazil's past battles with hyperinflation have left the legacy of a payment system whose efficiency assists its economy's stability to such an extent that it has garnered a host of global admirers. Writer John Rumsey
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Latest articles from Brazil
Santander's Brazilian IPO: Around the world in 18 days
November 27, 2009The Credit Suisse team working on the Banco Santander Brasil initial public offering - the largest in the world this year - travelled to four continents in two and a half weeks to secure the deal, a hectic schedule that reaped dividends. Writer John Rumsey
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October 28, 2009Key country: Brazil is the most important market in Latin America for HSBC
HSBC's spectacular expansion in Latin America over the past 10 years has certainly paid dividends, with the group now the fifth largest in the region. Head of HSBC Latin America, Emilson Alonso, offers his views on the business and its strategy for the future. Writer Jane Monahan
Downturn plays into regional hands
October 28, 2009The economic downturn has temporarily alleviated the pressure on Brazil's regional banks. They are using that breathing space to seek efficiencies, including cost cutting, improving customer service and seeking capital from new sources. They need to move fast: as national banks recover, acquisition of regional banks will once again become an attractive expansion strategy. Writer John Rumsey
Banco do Brasil rattles cosy credit markets
October 5, 2009State-owned institution Banco do Brasil has dethroned Itaú-Unibanco to once again become the country's biggest bank. Now there is a debate about whether such rapid growth is sustainable. Writer John Rumsey
A different kind of support
June 4, 2009National development banks in Latin America such as Brazil's BNDES and Mexico's Nafinsa are playing an important role in keeping funds flowing in the region, but there is a danger of them being over-stretched. Writer Jane Monahan
Back on song
June 4, 2009With the panic subsiding fast, Brazil's equity markets have staged an astonishing turnaround allowing canny investment banks to find their feet in the country again. Writer John Rumsey
Brazil's giants stand ready to pounce
May 5, 2009
Strict regulation, high capital and reserve requirements, and low levels of debt mean Brazil's banks are flourishing and in a good position to capitalise if their US and European competitors should pull back. Writer Brian Caplen
Cover stars: Brazilian bankers are still feted rather than reviled, unlike their colleagues in the US and Europe
CSR: Plenty of scope for improvement?
April 7, 2009As corporate social responsibility increases in prominence within business models, new strategies for implementation are being tried and tested across the banking industry. In Brazil, corporate governance has progressed significantly in recent years, yet it still has a long way to go, as The Banker's round table revealed. The round table is sponsored by Bradesco but independently edited by The Banker.