Brazil may exempt IPOs from inflows tax -exchange

LONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Brazil is discussing exempting initial public offerings (IPOs) from its 2 percent tax on foreign investments in local stocks and bonds, an official at the country's securities exchange said on Friday.

Brazil imposed the tax last month to fight a surge in the real currency BRL=, which has rallied more than 30 percent this year. "That (IPO exemption) is still under discussion," Paulo Oliveira, chief development officer of BM&F Bovespa (BVMF3.SA), told a news briefing.

However, Oliveira said the government was also looking at other ways to curb the real's rise.

"We are talking about the possibility to have collaterals pledged outside Brazil, we are talking about the possibility to be more liberal in terms of the local pension funds buying bonds outside Brazil, so as to create a flow from Brazil." (Reporting by Carolyn Cohn, editing by Will Waterman)