Investing.com – Brazil equities were higher at the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Electric Power, Public Utilities and Consumption sectors propelled shares higher.
At the close in Sao Paulo, the Bovespa added 1.67% to hit a new 1-month high.
The biggest gainers of the session on the Bovespa were Oi SA (SA:OIBR3), which rose 9.44% or 0.22 points to trade at 2.55 at the close. Petroleo Brasileiro SA (SA:PETR3) added 7.79% or 0.49 points to end at 6.78 and Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais (SA:USIM5) was up 6.38% or 0.06 points to 1.00 in late trade.
Biggest losers included Smiles ON (SA:SMLE3), which lost 4.01% or 1.30 points to trade at 31.10 in late trade. Natura Cosmeticos SA (SA:NATU3) declined 3.58% or 0.95 points to end at 25.55 and Cia Hering (SA:HGTX3) shed 3.25% or 0.45 points to 13.38.
Advancing stocks outnumbered falling ones by 170 to 121 and 30 ended unchanged on the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange.
The CBOE Brazil Etf Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Bovespa options, was down 0.77% to 51.67.
In commodities trading, Gold for April delivery was up 0.19% or 2.30 to $1210.50 a troy ounce. Meanwhile, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 5.01% or 1.46 to hit $30.50 a barrel, while the May US coffee C contract fell 0.15% or 0.17 to trade at $116.80 .
USD/BRL was down 2.19% to 3.9832, while EUR/BRL fell 2.17% to 4.4401.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.13% at 96.77.