Investing.com – Brazil equities were higher at the close on Friday, as gains in the Basic Materials, Public Utilities and Electric Power sectors propelled shares higher.
At the close in Sao Paulo, the Bovespa gained 0.42% to hit a new 3-year high.
The biggest gainers of the session on the Bovespa were Metalurgica Gerdau SA (SA:GOAU4), which rose 6.75% or 0.280 points to trade at 4.430 at the close. Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais (SA:USIM5) added 6.45% or 0.24 points to end at 3.96 and Vale SA (SA:VALE3) was up 4.24% or 0.81 points to 19.91 in late trade.
Biggest losers included Localiza Rent a Car SA (SA:RENT3), which lost 4.23% or 1.80 points to trade at 40.80 in late trade. CEMIG - Companhia Energetica Minas Gerais Pref (SA:CMIG4) declined 1.58% or 0.14 points to end at 8.71 and Banco Santander Brasil SA (SA:SANB11) shed 1.52% or 0.38 points to 24.59.
Advancing stocks outnumbered falling ones by 208 to 136 and 39 ended unchanged on the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange.
The CBOE Brazil Etf Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Bovespa options, was down 1.47% to 29.46 a new 52-week low.
In commodities trading, Gold for December delivery was up 0.00% or 0.05 to $1267.55 a troy ounce. Meanwhile, Crude oil for delivery in December rose 0.61% or 0.31 to hit $50.94 a barrel, while the December US coffee C contract rose 0.10% or 0.15 to trade at $156.27 .
USD/BRL was up 0.23% to 3.1504, while EUR/BRL fell 0.17% to 3.4297.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.34% at 98.62.