Brasil Telecom, Cyrela, Marfrig, Rossi: Brazilian Equity Movers

By Paulo Winterstein

Aug. 19 (Bloomberg) -- The following companies are having unusual price changes in Brazil trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and share prices are as of 9:35 a.m. New York time. Preferred shares are usually the most-traded class of stock.

The Bovespa index dropped 1 percent to 52,797.27.

Brasil Telecom Participacoes SA (BRTO4 BS) gained for the first time in three days, adding 1.1 percent to 21.05 reais. The phone company being bought by Telemar Participacoes SA was reiterated a ``buy'' at UBS AG on speculation rule changes required for the purchase will be completed in September and the deal will be finalized by year-end. Brasil Telecom SA (BRTO4 BS), the operating unit, led gains on the index, rising 1.8 percent to 16.55 reais.

Duratex SA (DURA4 BS) fell to the lowest in almost two years, losing 3.1 percent to 22.32 reais. The Brazilian maker of bathroom fixtures and wood products for the construction industry fell along with real estate developers after the U.S. reported that housing starts dropped to a 17-year low in July. Rossi Residencial SA (RSID3 BS), Brazil's third-largest homebuilder, dropped 3.1 percent to 11.05 reais. Cyrela Brazil Realty SA Empreendimentos e Participacoes (CYRE3 BS), the biggest builder, fell 3 percent to 20.09 reais. Gafisa SA (GFSA3 BS), the second largest, fell 1.5 percent to 23.38 reais.

Marfrig Frigorificos e Comercio de Alimentos SA (MRFG3 BS) gained the most in almost two weeks, adding 2.5 percent to 18.70 reais. Brazil's national development bank plans to more than triple its stake in Marfrig to 10.44 percent, the world's fourth- largest beef producer, the Wall Street Journal reported today.

To contact the reporters on this story: Paulo Winterstein in Sao Paulo at pwinterstein@bloomberg.net.