Today's highlights:
CNN Brasil News: The National Federation of Brazilian Industries (CNI) released a research report on "Brazilian Socio Economy and Population" on Tuesday (October 24th). The data shows that for 53% of Brazilians aged 16 and above, the country's economy will improve in the next six months. The National Federation of Brazilian Industries stated that this optimism about the future may be related to the majority of Brazilians believing that the current economic situation has improved compared to the past. 45% of respondents believe that the current economic situation is better than the past six months. The survey also pointed out that 49% of Brazilians are aware that the price level of consumer products has increased in the past six months, and 45% of respondents believe that the prices of these products will increase in the next six months. When asked what are the main issues in Brazil, the most mentioned by respondents are the public services provided by the government, such as education, health, public transportation, and public security.
Folha News: In the third quarter of 2023, Brazilian businesses achieved 15.1% of total sales revenue through digital channels such as websites, applications, emails, and other tools. This is the data from a commercial trade survey conducted by the FGV Ibre Foundation Economic Research Institute in Gitorio Vargas, Brazil. This share is the highest level since the second quarter of 2021 (recorded at that time as 21.2%). The impact of the COVID-19 in this period limited the operation of offline commercial stores. Rodolpho Tobler, a researcher and economist of FGV Fund, said: "During the COVID-19, enterprises seem to have accelerated the process of digitalization, that is, to sell products to consumers through the Internet, and this process will continue to a large extent in the future." The research report also pointed out that in the months before the COVID-19 began in 2020, the sales of goods on online channels accounted for 9.2% of the total sales of all kinds.
In order to alleviate the housing pressure on low-income families in urban and rural areas of Brazil, the Brazilian federal government resumed the "My Home, My Life" Minha Casa and Minha Vida affordable housing plan in February this year. This plan provides housing solutions for households with a monthly total income of no more than R $8000 in urban areas and an annual total income of no more than R $96000 in rural areas. The maximum price limit for affordable housing properties has been raised to the current set of R $350000. In July of this year, the federal government passed new rules to reduce the number of installment payment periods for the settlement of affordable housing purchase contracts. In addition, it also lowered the interest rate on home loans. The installment purchase interest rate for households living in the northeastern and northern regions of Brazil with an income of less than 2000 reais was reduced from 4.25% to 4%. For low-income residents living in other regions, the interest rate was reduced from 4.5% to 4.25%, The goal is to deliver a total of 2 million new housing units by 2026. The Brazilian federal government delivered 1651 affordable housing units in the states of Aragos, Bahia, Holy Spirit, and S ã o Paulo on Monday (October 23). At the request of President Lula, all apartments constructed under this plan will have balconies and library facilities.
Folha News: On Monday morning (October 23), a 16-year-old teenager shot and killed a student at Sapopemba State High School in Jardim Sapopemba (East District of S ã o Paulo), injuring two others. The gunman was a first-year high school student who entered the school around 7:30 am that day and fired several shots in a classroom. He was later arrested by the police. The camera installed in the campus recorded the moment when the gunman entered a classroom filled with students and fired, and the students then left the classroom in a commotion. The deceased student was a 17-year-old female high school student, and two injured individuals were taken to the hospital for treatment. Currently, the police are still investigating the motive behind the killer's actions.
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