Docs warn of hunger strike from Feb 27

Government doctors have temporarily decided to withdraw their resignation letters. However, with some demands still pending, they have threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike.

Crude oil prices CLc1 advanced 1.16 percent.The 19-commodity Reuters Jeffries index .CRB shed 0.5percent. Mining giant Vale (VALE5.SA), the world's largest iron oreproducer, rose 1.48 percent to 31.56 reais. In contrast, state-controlled oil company Petrobras(PETR4.SA) slid 0.25 percent to 31.82 reais. Petrobras and Vale are the heaviest weighted shares on theBovespa index. The index began riding high last Wednesday when it gainednearly 5.0 percent as corporate earnings reports from theUnited States gave investors hope that the global economiccrisis might be coming to a close.

In the past few days, he said, "the index is coming backeven stronger." But that upward swing might not be sustainable, he added. Strong gains in the index at the startof the year turned into profit-taking in June and part ofJuly. The Bovespa index is going through a cycle begun earlierthis year, said Octavio Magalhaes, head of investments atGuepardo Investimentos. Drugmaker Merck & Co (MRK.N) and machinery companyCaterpillar Inc (CAT.N) both posted strong profit reports onTuesday, though Caterpillar also warned of a challenging thirdquarter Brazilian investors often look to the U.S markets to gaugeinternational sentiment and risk aversion. Federal ReserveChairman Ben Bernanke, who spoke before the U.S. Congress onTuesday, optimism prevailed -- though just barely -- buoyed bythe continuation of strong earnings reports in the UnitedStates. "People got a little defensive at the close," said a fundmanager who asked to speak off the record Despite a cautious outlook from U.S.

Brazil's currency, the real (BRBY), weakened 0.21 percentto 1.908 reais per dollar, after the currency earlier in theday firmed to break the 1.9 real-per-dollar mark for the firsttime since September. The benchmark Bovespa index .BVSP closed 0.15 percenthigher at 52,233.57 points. Giannone; Editing by Tim Dobbyn) Stocks Regulatory News Funds News ETFs News. (Updates to close) Brazil SAO PAULO, July 21 (Reuters) - Brazilian stocks closed upon Tuesday for the fifth day in a row after seesawing into thered for much of the day, while the local currency reversedearlier gains to close down against the dollar. 11, 2004, the day on which Perry held itslargest King position, Perry stood to capture a $22 milliongain on risk-arbitrage trades it had made since earlySeptember, the SEC alleged. The merger plans were terminated in early 2005, with Mylansaying it was unable to agree on a revised deal with King (Reporting by Joseph A.