Brasília – Brazil posted a current account surplus in March. According to numbers made public by the Brazilian Central Bank, sales and purchases of goods and services and income transfers to and from other countries – which make up the national current account result – ran a USD 798 million surplus. March 2017 had seen a much wider surplus, at USD 1.386 billion.
This was the second surplus month this year, February being the first at USD 290 million. During Q1, however, Brazil ran a USD 3.219 billion deficit, down from a USD 4.644 billion one in Q1 2017. The results comprise balance of trade results, which were a USD 5.974 billion surplus last month and a USD 13.003 billion one in Q1.
Services (including travel, transportation, equipment rental, etc.) ran a USD 2.776 billion deficit in March a USD 8.108 billion one in Q1.
Primary income (profits and dividends, payments of interest and wages) ran a USD 2.577 billion deficit in March and a USD 8.680 billion one in Q1.
Secondary income (income earned domestically and transferred abroad, including US dollars donations and remittances with no goods supplied or services rendered) ran a USD 176 million surplus in March and a USD 565 million one in Q1.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
