BRAZIL (Notifix).- The federal government extended for another three months the reduction of the Tax on Industrialized Products (IPI) applied to home appliances and for

the same period of time, reducing the variable tax rate for furniture that was lowered from 5% to zero. The period ending March 31, 2012 and has been extended to June 30. According to the Minister of Finance, Guido Mantega, the government's goal is to promote economic recovery.