Brazil's stock index sets all-time high.

RIO DE JANEIRO, May 3 Kyodo

The key Bovespa Index ended Thursday up 1.51 percent from the previous day on the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange, with its key Bovespa Index setting an all-time high of 50,218 points.

Expectations had been high among investors that the index would break the psychological barrier of 50,000 after it closed at 49,675 on April 25.

The traded volume reached 3.67 billion real, or $1.81 billion, according to the stock exchange's reports.

Analysts believe the record-breaking rise stemmed from the positive performance of the U.S. economy, declining interest rates in Brazil and a sharp fall in the country's risk indicator, which closed the day at 153 points.

''Brazil has been registering an overall solid economic performance and this has turned the stock exchange into a very attractive target for investors,'' said market analyst Alberto Henrique Amorim.

Bovespa is the only stock trade center in Brazil and Latin America's largest stock exchange, accounting for some 70 percent of the region's trade volume.