Brazil markets tumble on Lula’s first full day in office

Brazilian markets delivered a withering verdict on leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s first full day in office on Monday, after he pledged to prioritize social issues and ordered a budget-busting extension to a fuel tax exemption.
Lula’s decision to extend the fuel tax exemption, which will deprive the Treasury of 52.9 billion reais ($9.9 billion) a year in fiscal income, was a stinging rebuke of his finance minister Fernando Haddad, a Workers Party (PT) loyalist who had said it would not be extended.
Haddad, who is seeking to dispel market fears that he might not maintain fiscal discipline, took office on Monday, pledging to control spending. “We are not here for adventures,” he said.
Markets seemed unconvinced.
The real currency lost 1.5% in value against the dollar in afternoon trading, while the benchmark Sao Paulo stock market index ended 3.06% down. Shares of tate-run oil company Petrobras retreated nearly 6.45%.