Petrobras and Vale boost the Sao Paulo stock market, which gains 0.20%

Sao Paulo, March 30 (EFE) .- The Sao Paulo stock market advanced 0.20% this Wednesday and the index, a reference on the parquet, closed with 120,259 points, driven by large stocks, such as the state oil company Petrobras (NYSE: ) and mining giant Vale.

The Brazilian market oscillated between gains and losses, but in the end it registered its ninth rise in the last ten sessions, a trend that has led it to sign the highest levels of the year.

In the foreign exchange market, the US dollar appreciated by 0.61% in Brazil, although it continues to operate below five reais.

This Wednesday, the greenback closed at 4,786 reais for purchase and sale at the Brazilian commercial exchange rate, according to preliminary results.

For its part, the Ibovespa managed to distance itself from Wall Street thanks to Petrobras, whose ordinary and preferred shares climbed 1.8% and 2.1%, respectively, boosted by the rise in the ; and Vale, which posted a rise of 1.4%.

The shares of both companies were also the most traded in the session.

The financial agents also received positively the result of the accounts of the Brazilian Government for February, which closed with a primary deficit of 20,619 million reais (4,300 million dollars), which represents the smallest negative balance for that month since 2015.

All in all, the Sao Paulo stock market added 245 units to its accumulated score.

The traded volume exceeded 26,000 million reais (5,400 million dollars), in a total of 3,617,673 financial operations.

In addition to Petrobras and Vale, Banco Pan (5.7%), the educational network YDUQS (3.4%), the meat company Minerva (2.8%) and the discount coupon platform Méliuz (2 .6%).

On the other hand, the biggest losses were recorded by the medical insurance company Qualicorp (-6%), the Natura Group (-4.6%), the Azul airline (-4.3%) and the shopping center operator Iguatemi (-3.8%).