Despite a decline in interest rates since mid-1999, bank spread in Brazil continues extremely high in international terms and in recent years has stood at around 40%. This paper analyses the determinants of bank spread in Brazil, seeking particularly to analyse the macroeconomic determinants of...

This paper aims at discussing critically Pérsio Arida's proposal of adopting full currency convertibility in Brazil. Arida (2003a, 2003b, 2004) points out that currency convertibility would make for lower domestic interest rates in Brazil, as well as for lower interest rates for the Brazilian...