Delinquency rates on Brazilian non-earmarked loans climbed to 6.2% in May, up from 6.1% in April, marking the strongest reading since the central bank began publishing the series in March 2011.
The rise in overdue balances came even though the government introduced a fresh phase of its consumer debt renegotiation initiative in early May. That program offers Treasury-backed guarantees to cut borrowing costs for eligible consumers who earn more than five times the minimum wage.
In its recent monetary policy report, the central bank identified worsening performance across three specific segments as the primary force behind the deterioration in non-earmarked credit quality - vehicle financing, unsecured personal loans and payroll-deducted loans to private-sector workers. Default rates for each of those segments increased in May, recording 6.5% for vehicle loans, 14.2% for unsecured personal credit and 7.9% for payroll-deducted loans to private-sector employees.
"Recent measures to promote household debt renegotiation tend to reduce delinquency rates in eligible credit lines in the coming months," the central bank said in the report.
Policy measures enacted last year to expand payroll lending for private-sector workers remain a significant factor in the credit landscape. The government said the changes were intended to stimulate that segment by encouraging borrowers to refinance higher-cost obligations with cheaper payroll loans, which are repaid through direct wage deductions.
The outstanding balance in the payroll lending segment rose sharply, increasing 140.3% year-on-year to reach 109.2 billion reais in May.
Interest-rate differentials across credit types remain large. Central bank data show payroll loan rates for private-sector workers averaged 54.1% a year in May, while unsecured personal credit carried an average annual rate of 142.7%.
Brazil's policy rate stands at 14.25%. Policymakers have indicated that despite the easing cycle that began in March, borrowing costs must remain restrictive to steer inflation - currently 4.8% over the past 12 months - back toward the 3% target.
Credit momentum continued to expand overall. The total credit stock increased 0.6% month-on-month to 7.3 trillion reais in May, up 9.5% from a year earlier, a slight moderation from April's 9.6% annual growth.
Exchange-rate notation used in the central bank release indicated $1 = 5.1914 reais.
Summary - The non-earmarked credit delinquency rate in Brazil hit 6.2% in May, the highest since the data series began in 2011, driven by rising defaults in vehicle, unsecured personal and payroll-deducted loans. The government has rolled out Treasury-backed guarantees for some borrowers in early May to lower borrowing costs, while payroll lending balances have surged following regulatory changes. Interest-rate spreads between payroll loans and unsecured personal credit remain large as the central bank keeps policy rates high to rein in inflation.