Brazil's services sector beats forecasts in January ahead of rate decision
SAO PAULO, March 13 (Reuters) - Brazil's services activity grew slightly more than expected in January compared with the previous month, data from the statistics agency IBGE showed on Friday, ahead of the central bank's interest rate decision next week.
The main driver of Latin America's largest economy rose 0.3% in January from December, IBGE said.
Economists in a Reuters poll had expected a 0.1% increase.
Three of the five groups surveyed were up in January, IBGE said.
Persistent price pressures in the sector remain a concern for Brazil's central bank.
Policymakers will decide on March 17-18 whether to start an interest rate-cutting cycle after holding the Selic rate at 15%, a near two-decade high, for several months in a bid to tame persistent inflation.
Services output rose 3.3% year-on-year, above expectations of a 2.8% increase.
