OREANDA-NEWS. September 29, 2015.  Fitch Ratings has today assigned long-term foreign currency ratings of 'BBB' to Banco do Brasil S.A.'s (BdB) senior unsecured notes due 2020 and 2022. The notes were issued by BdB's Grand Cayman branch. The notes due 2020 were issued under BdB's USD5 billion global medium-term note program and carry a principal amount of USD500 million and an interest rate of 6.00% per annum payable semi-annually. The notes due 2022 carry a principal amount of USD1.925 billion and an interest rate of 3.875% per annum payable semi-annually.

KEY RATING DRIVERS

SENIOR DEBT

The ratings assigned to BdB's above mentioned issuances are aligned with the bank's foreign currency longterm Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of 'BBB' (Outlook Negative) and with the bank's previously rated senior unsecured notes with which they rank pari-passu.

BdB's IDRs and senior debt ratings are driven by sovereign support and equal to Brazil's sovereign ratings. They reflect the majority ownership of the federal government, the bank's domestic systemic importance and the policy role it plays in the implementation of anticyclical measures and in agricultural lending. The Negative Outlook on BdB's IDRs mirrors that on Brazil's sovereign ratings.

RATING SENSITIVITIES

SENIOR DEBT
BdB's senior debt ratings are sensitive to any changes in the bank's long-term foreign currency IDR ('BBB'/Outlook Negative), which, in turn are sensitive to any changes in change in Brazil's sovereign ratings and/or to any changes in the Brazilian government's willingness to support BdB.