Brazil central bank stresses need for coordination between monetary, fiscal policies
Adds context in paragraph 2, further comments from Campos Neto in paragraphs 4 and 6, comments from director Guillen in paragraphs 5 and 9-10
By Marcela Ayres
BRASILIA, Sept 27 (Reuters) -Brazil's central bank chief Roberto Campos Neto said on Friday that tighter interest rates alongside looser fiscal policy create inefficiencies that hinder the transmission of monetary policy, leading to a prolonged period of higher borrowing costs.
The remarks followed the central bank's decision to kick off a tightening cycle last week with a 25 basis-point hike, bringing interest rates to 10.75%, as the government's fiscal commitment faces scrutiny after controversial measures to increase spending and shore up revenues.
Speaking at an event in Sao Paulo, Campos Neto emphasized that monetary and fiscal policies must work in tandem, highlighting several times that this harmony is necessary.
"At all times in Brazil's recent history, the ability to lower interest rates and maintain them at low levels has been linked to a positive fiscal shock," he said.
Speaking at a separate event, the central bank's economic policy director, Diogo Guillen, said policymakers have stressed the need for such synchrony.
Campos Neto noted that markets seemed concerned with the classification of certain government expenditures and emphasized the importance of transparency in fiscal figures.
The central bank raised interest rates amid strong economic activity in Brazil, highlighting fiscal stimulus as one of the factors driving better-than-expected activity data.
The bank's hawkish tone led markets to price in a 50 basis-point rate hike BCBWATCH at the next meeting in November.
With the central bank refraining from offering a clear signal on its next moves, Guillen emphasized the continuation of a data-dependent approach.
He underscored that anchoring inflation expectations, which have drifted away from the 3% official target across all time horizons, is an "essential ingredient in the disinflationary process."
Reporting by Marcela Ayres; Additional reporting by Gabriel Araujo;
Editing by Alistair Bell
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