Brazil’s Ibovespa closed 0.3% higher at 175,665 on Friday, recovering from earlier losses and extending its winning streak to eight sessions. July formal-job creation slowed to 58,568, below the 112,000 forecast and down from 145,161 in June, while producer-price inflation eased to 1.94% year-on-year from 2.47% in June and the IGP-M declined month-on-month. The softer labor and inflation data could give the BCB (Brazil’s central bank) room to continue its 25-basis-point easing cycle, supporting credit-sensitive shares. Financial stocks, utilities, B3 and Petrobras advanced, while Vale fell after a tax-related trial involving profits from its foreign subsidiaries was suspended.