Brazil Second Quarter Economy Climbs 0.4% From Previous Quarter

Brazil’s economy expanded 0.4 percent in the second quarter, the national statistics agency said today in Rio de Janeiro.

Analysts had forecast growth of 0.5 percent from the first quarter, according to the median estimate from 51 economists surveyed by Bloomberg. Gross domestic product expanded 0.5 percent from a year earlier, as compared to the 0.7 increase forecast by 47 economists.

Latin America’s largest economy has faltered since last year amid the European debt crisis and weaker Chinese demand for Brazil’s exports. The government has responded with tax cuts for goods ranging from automobiles to appliances in a bid to prop up consumer demand, while the central bank has cut its benchmark lending rate to a record low.

Finance Minister Guido Mantega said yesterday he expects growth will accelerate to a 4 percent annualized rate in the fourth quarter and reach 4.5 percent in 2013.

To contact the reporter on this story: Joshua Goodman in Rio de Janeiro at jgoodman19@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Harry Maurer at hmaurer@bloomberg.net