Context and features of brazilian public debt issues denominated in reais abroad

Macroeconomic stability and lower external vulnerability have allowed the issuance of Brazilian external debt bonds denominated in Brazilian reais since 2005. Those issuances have not been used to finance current account deficits. They are important to build a benchmark for corporate bond issuances, associated with the systemic risk of the Brazilian economy. Bond emissions in local currency usually have the advantage of eliminating the exchange rate risk for the debtor. It might also be used as hedge for an external investor, and they are not exposed to the convertibility risk, related to foreign reserve shortages or capital controls. Brazilian issuances of securities abroad denominated in local currency have had longer maturity than comparable bonds in the domestic market in the period. Since the country does not depend on foreign issuances to pay its debt, the monetary authority has been able to choose more favorable moments for the issuances in terms of the returns paid on the bonds.