Numbers of the week: Feb. 13, 2021

This is Brazil by the Numbers, a weekly digest of the most interesting figures tucked inside the latest news about Brazil. A selection of numbers that help explain what is going on in Brazil. This week: Palmeiras let Brazilian football down on the world stage, GDP figures are better-than-expected, murders on the rise, a potential return for the coronavirus emergency salary, vaccine shortages, and Brazil’s struggling services sector.

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4-percent economic drop in 2020

After posting better-than-expected growth in December (0.64 percent), the Brazilian economy ended 2020 with an overall drop of 4.05 percent, according to the Economic Activity Index (IBC-Br), published by the Central Bank. The index is seen as a predictor of official GDP data, which will only be confirmed in March. If Central Bank numbers are indeed correct, this will mean that Brazil has surpassed expectations, despite the heavy recession.

Markets had predicted a contraction of 4.5 percent last year. Still, the result would be worse than the 3.5-percent skid seen in 2016, during what was then the worst recession in Brazil’s history.

5-percent bump in murders

Despite Covid-19 restrictions, Brazil saw...