1.   Brazil affirmed Monday that it would continue to allow the real to float, though it could intervene if necessary.

2.   Four weeks ago, Cardoso broke a longstanding pledge by allowing the real to float freely against the dollar.

3.   Jeffrey Sachs of the Harvard Institute for International Development pushes for Brazil to drop its fixed rate, allowing the real to float on currency markets.

4.   A few days later he said the government would no longer prop up the battered currency and woul allow the real to float freely.

5.   Bank President Francisco Lopes said the monetary authority would allow the real to float but might step in to avoid exaggerated swings.

6.   Last week, the Central Bank said it would allow the real to float against the dollar but might intervene to avert sudden changes.