PROJECT

Projects

Summary of Proposed Investment

Project Number

11699

Company Name

Itau Unibanco Holding S.A.

Date SPI Disclosed

Aug 12, 2002

Country

Brazil

Industry

Financial Markets

Projected Board Date

Sep 17, 2002

Status

Completed

Sector

Trade Finance

Department

Global Industry, Financial Markets

Environmental Category

FI

Previous Events

Approved : Sep 20, 2002
Signed : Oct 10, 2002
Invested : Nov 1, 2002

Project Description

The bank offers an array of financial services including retail, commercial, corporate, and private banking. The facility will be used by the bank to extend international trade finance to Brazilian exporters and importers.

The project is in response to Brazil''s need for trade finance at a time of global risk aversion and severe market illiquidity in Brazil. In this environment, fast-moving multilateral initiatives like the proposed TFF have an important role to play not only in providing needed financing to the country, but in buttressing investor sentiment for Brazil.

The B Loan will allow international banks that currently have trade-related exposure to Itaú to keep their lines outstanding to the bank, rather than withdrawing them due to short-term Brazil exposure concerns. Such a B Loan initiative would complement efforts on the part of Brazilian banks and the government to persuade international lenders to leave in place lines currently outstanding to Brazilian financial institutions.

The project would also be complementary to policy initiatives, reportedly being mulled by other multilaterals such as the IMF, to address the current, severe pullback of bank lines to Brazil.

Sponsor / Cost / Location

Development Impact