Brazil Keeps Floating Rates 　　Brazil has decided to keep a long-term floating exchange rate for its currency real against US dollar and other foreign currencies, according to a communique issued by its central bank on January 18. 　　Brazilian real will its exchange rate market regulated from now, the communiqu└ said, noting that only when the exchange rate of real to US dollar floats too much, the central bank will intervene in a limited and temporary way. 　　*Brazil's top financial officials met Sunday with US officials, seeking ways to keep Latin America's largest economy from succumbing to an Asian-style currency crisis. 　　Brazilian Finance Minister Pedro Malan and central bank president Francisco Lopes met US Deputy Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers. 　　The two Brazilian officials also met officials at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank on Saturday and Sunday. 　　Officials described the talks as a wide-ranging review of steps Brazil has already taken and what needs to be done to calm investor unease. 　　Malan told reporters that Brazil would ask for early release of next installment of the US$41.5 billion rescue package that the IMF put together for Brazil in November. 　　 　　 　　 　　 Economicnews 1999-01-19 Page7 Full Story in Chinese