Bradesco & The Selic Rate: A Portfolio Diary

January 27th. Right. So, the markets. Honestly, it feels a bit like trying to predict the weather in Patagonia. One minute everything’s rosy, the next you’re bracing for a financial blizzard. Today, though, was… interesting. Bradesco (BBD +4.28%) had a decent little bounce, closing at $4.14. Which, let’s be honest, is hardly going to fund my early retirement, but it’s a start. I suspect it’s all tied to this slightly desperate hope that Brazil’s central bank will actually cut interest rates. They’re meeting tomorrow, you see. The current rate, a rather alarming 15%, is clearly unsustainable. Although, frankly, what isn’t unsustainable these days?

Trading volume was… enthusiastic. 60.8 million shares. Which, if I’d calculated correctly (and that’s always a big ‘if’), is about 76% above their three-month average. People are paying attention. Bradesco IPO’d back in 2002, which makes it a relative dinosaur in the tech-obsessed world of finance. Still, it’s managed a 387% climb since then. Not bad. Not bad at all. Though I keep thinking about all the missed opportunities…Bitcoin, anyone?

How the Markets Moved Today

The S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.41%) put on a respectable 0.41%, finishing at 6,978.60. The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC +0.91%) was even more cheerful, leaping 0.91% to 23,817.10. It’s all a bit… manic, isn’t it? Like everyone’s collectively decided to pretend everything’s fine. And the Brazilian banks, predictably, joined the party. Itaú Unibanco (ITUB +4.65%) was up 4.65% at $8.78, and Banco Santander (BSBR +4.57%) gained 4.57% to $7.10. A coordinated surge. Or just blind optimism. I’m leaning towards the latter.

What This Means For Investors (And My Sanity)

Bradesco’s little rally seems to be linked to the January inflation data coming in slightly below expectations. Which is… good. I think. Bloomberg is predicting the Selic rate (Brazil’s benchmark) will be cut from 15% to 12.25% by the end of the year. Easing is likely to start in March. Of course, predictions are notoriously unreliable. I once predicted my sourdough starter would double in size overnight. It did not.

Apparently, Bradesco is strengthening its fixed income team. More market share, they say. Sounds… ambitious. They’re not reporting earnings until February 5, 2026. Yes, you read that correctly. 2026. I’ll probably have forgotten what a bank is by then. The share price has risen almost 115% year-on-year, which is impressive, if slightly terrifying. I’m watching to see if it can maintain momentum. Mostly because I have a small (very small) holding.

Units of Cryptocurrency Lost: 12. Hours Spent Watching Charts: 9. Number of Panicked Texts to Friends: 24. Will become disciplined long-term investor: Attempted. Success rate: 3%. Must. Resist. Urge. To Panic Sell.

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2026-01-28 02:22