Brazil’s recovery worries, hawks fly in Chile

The disappointing economic data out of Brazil this week has cast some clouds over the economy’s recovery prospects. As it happens, we think that GDP growth will pick up quite strongly in Q3, but we’re increasingly concerned that electricity constraints could put the brakes on the recovery later in the year. Elsewhere, Chile’s central bank became the latest in the region to spring a hawkish surprise and we think the policy rate will be raised further that the central bank’s new guidance implies.