The middle class in Brazil continues to grow, fueling opportunities for private equity investment in the consumer and retail sectors. Over the past six years, interest and investment in Brazil has increased significantly due to factors like oil discoveries and major sporting events. However, some argue prices are too high and attractive companies too scarce. Nonetheless, Brazil's strong fundamentals are driving growth, including a large expanding middle class and falling unemployment. Private equity firms remain optimistic about continued consumer spending increases and opportunities for leverage as interest rates are expected to remain low.