São Paulo – August saw a trade surplus of USD 3.775 billion, down 32.5% in comparison to the one registered in the same month of 2017. This is the lowest surplus for the month since 2015, when it came in at USD 2.685 billion. In August, the country exported USD 22.552 billion worth of goods, up 15.8% over August 2017, by the daily average. However, there was a decline of 5.7% over July 2018. The data was shown this Monday (03) by the Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services (MDIC).
Imports totaled USD 18.777 billion in August, a surge of 35.3% over the same month of last year, by the daily average, and a drop of 3.7% over July 2018. Total trade in August totaled USD 41.33 billion, up 23.9% over August 2017.
August had a 35.1% rise in exports of finished products over the same month of last year with USD 9.812 billion. Basic goods exports also rose 16.4% in the month, totaling USD 10.448 billion. And exports of semi-finished products tumbled 24.2% to USD 2.117 billion.
Among finished products, there was an increase in sales of oil rigs, aircraft engines and turbines, heaters and dryers and parts; centrifuges, aircraft engines and turbines parts, fuel oil, iron and steel flexible pipes, vehicle engines and parts and auto parts.
Among basic products, there was an increase in sales of soy bran, soy beans, copper ore, crude oil, iron ore and beef.
Among semi-finished products, there was a decline in sales of iron/steel semi-finished products, raw sugar, hides, ferro alloys and gold semi-finished products. On the other hand, sales of copper cathode, crude soy oil, cast iron, wood pulp and sawn timber went up.
Main buyers
The five major buyers of Brazilian products in August were China, with USD 5.874 billion, the United States, with USD 2.934 billion, Argentina, with USD 1.547 billion, Panamá, with USD 1.337 billion, and the Netherlands, with USD 956 million.
Among regions, sales went up to Central America and the Caribbean (259.3%), Oceania (75.7%), Asia (19%), United States (20.3%), European Union (16.6%) and Mercosur (3.5%). Sales decreased to Africa (-31.2%) and the Middle East (-2.3%), with sales to the latter impacted mainly by weaker sales of sugar, passenger vehicles, aluminum oxides and hydroxides, chassis fitted with engines, cattle, crude soy oil, coffee beans, semi-finished gold products, poultry and engines and generators.
Imports
In August, there was an increase of 158.2% in imports of capital goods, of 55.4% in imports of fuel and lubricants, of 16.2% in imports of intermediate goods and of 13.7% in imports of consumer goods.
Among capital goods, there was a rise in purchases of oil rigs, freight vehicles, machinery and mechanical appliances, helicopters, digital processing units, floating structures, repeaters or terminal equipment, and chassis fitted with engine.
Among the fuel and lubricants group, there was an increase in purchases of crude oil, natural gas, liquefied butane and propane and lubricant oils. Meanwhile, within the intermediate goods, there was a hike in purchases of naphtha for the petrochemical sector, iron/steel flexible pipes, sulfides of zinc ores, insecticides, solar cells, aluminum unalloyed, potassium chloride and iron/steel semi-finished products.
Among consumer goods, purchases of passenger vehicles, immunological products, fungicides, pharmaceuticals, video games and sport footwear.
Main suppliers
The five major suppliers to Brazil were China (USD 5.087 billion), the United States (USD 2.634 billion), Argentina (USD 1.178 billion), Germany (USD 981 million) and Mexico (USD 474 million).
Analyzing by supplying markets, in comparison to August of last year, there was an increase in imports from the Middle East (139%), due to crude oil, organic and inorganic fertilizers, iron/steel semi-finished products, potassium chloride, polymers, sulfur, raw aluminum and lubricant oils. There was an increase in imports also from Africa (117.6%), Central America and the Caribbean (108.4%), Asia (54%), Mercosur (32.8%), Oceania (53.4%) and the United States (21.6%). Imports from the European Union declined 1.6%.
Year-to-date and year-over-year
From January to August, the country exported USD 159.012 billion worth of goods, up 8.3% over the same period of 2017, by the daily average. Imports totaled USD 121.201 billion, up 23.1% in the same comparison. From January to August, there was a trade surplus of USD 37.811 billion, down 21.4% over the same period of 2017.
Year-over-year, from September 2017 to August 2018, the country saw USD 230.822 billion in exports, up 11.6% over the previous period. Imports totaled USD 174.109 billion, up 21.2% over the previous period. The trade surplus in the period reached USD 56.713 billion, down 10.5% over the previous period.
Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
