Brazil continues to be buoyant

Brazil has been one of the recent success stories of Latin America. With a strong-growing economy, low interest rates and a significant pick-up to its export sector from higher commodity prices, the government is considering taking the rare step of hiking interest rates to quell an overheating market. Brazil's export market is one of its core economic segments and has shown consistent growth. In 1997, Brazilian exports were worth a total of $53bn. Seven years later, the number is up by 45% to $92bn. Jason Hepner, investment director of emerging markets at Standard Life, says: "The impa...