What to Know About BRICS and Its Growing Clout

The BRICS group of emerging-market powers — the acronym stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — has gone from a slogan dreamed up at an investment bank two decades ago to a real-world club that controls a multilateral lender. Comprising 10 member states, it pairs several major energy producers with some of the biggest consumers among developing countries.

The group has been increasing its ranks, enhancing its economic clout in a US-dominated world and potentially undermining the role of the dollar in global trade. That’s angered American President Donald Trump, who has threatened to impose 100% trade tariffs on the group’s members.