The demand increased by 6.83% in the first three months of the year compared with the same period of 2011, according to the Abegás.
Author: Agência Brasil
The Brazilian trade balance had a US$ 881 million surplus in April, as a result of US$ 19.5 billion in exports and US$ 18.6 billion in imports.
The inflow of dollars exceeded the outflow by US$ 5.8 billion last month, up to the 27th, according to the Central Bank.
The number of Brazilian enterprises that did not honour their obligations grew in March this year compared with the same month in 2011.
The number of foreigners and Brazilians who returned to the country after having lived abroad reached 286,500 in 2010, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.
The primary public sector surplus reached US$ 5.5 billion reals in March, according to the Central Bank. The first quarter suplus was US$ 24.3 billion.
Despite the international instability, the state-owned company’s investment forecasted for 2012 is the greatest in history and should reach R$ 88 billion (US$ 47 billion).
The figure concerns foreign sales made from Brazil last week, and is 11.3% higher than in the preceding week.
Brazil’mining company Vale signed a contract with oil company Petrobras to lease potassium reserves for exploration. The project will help lower the country’s dependence on importe fertilizers.
The Brazilian minister of Foreign Relations, Antonio Patriota, travelled to Africa to discuss the political crisis in the world. The route includes Ethiopia, Tunisia and Egypt.
President Dilma Rousseff stated that Brazil must seek an interest rate level similar to those seen in other countries.
Finance minister Guido Mantega stated that in spite of IMF recommendations, the country will continue intervening in exchange rates to reduce the value of the country’s currency.
Investment in the segment, in Brazil, will reach US$ 320 billion up until 2015, according to a study conducted by the Brazilian Development Bank. Oil and gas should receive the largest share.
A Brazilian mission will go to Tripoli to help remove landmines. The country will also help fight AIDS and support the conduction of Parliamentary elections.
