Capital controls: Brazil raises tax to stem inflows

Second rise in as many weeks; Analysts sceptical of its effectiveness

Brazil’s double rise in its financial transaction tax (imposto sobre operações financeiras – IOF) in October might not achieve its primary aim of slowing capital inflows and the real’s appreciation but it did add to the appeal of the country’s real-denominated global bond launched last month.

On October 18 the Brazilian government raised the IOF entry tax on portfolio inflows into fixed-income instruments to 6%, just two weeks after it had raised it to 4% from 2%.

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