The 1.9% increase in GDP during the second quarter of 2009 has confirmed that Brazilian economy has managed to react against the impacts of the largest financial turbulence ever since the New York Stock Exchange crash in 1929.

Inflation under control; solidity expressed more than US$ 230 billion in international reserves; and a regulated and stable financial system have allowed the country to hold its own under the strain of the economic hurricane that shook the world. 

The strength of the Brazilian internal market, made possible by a better income distribution, was one of the factors that provided Brazilian economy with the power to quickly overcome hardships. With solid basis and a vigorous market the country has shown its capacity to successfully promote a set of anti-crisis measures.

On the one hand, it has adopted an expansionary monetary policy; on the other, it has developed a proactive fiscal policy. Together they have fed money into the economy, stimulated consumption, maintained jobs and pepped up businesses.

The objective of this notebook is to present some data that shows how the country overcame the crisis and how it prepares now to resume growth. The reading of the following pages brings the opportunity to know the solid Brazilian economic model that matches GDP growth with social development.

Guido Mantega
Minister of Finance