São Paulo – The Brazilian trade balance has run a US$ 916 million surplus in the first two weeks of September. Brazil exported US$ 9.992 billion, averaging at US$ 999.2 million per day, considering the ten working days during the period. Imports amounted to US$ 9.076 billion, averaging at US$ 907.6 million per day.
Both imports and exports declined in September 2013 from September 2012. In the first two weeks this month, exports were down 5.1% from the same period in 2012, while imports were down 1.1%. In September from August 2013, exports were up 2.6% and imports were down 1.1%.
Exports of manufactured goods declined the most in September from August, down 14.9%, driven mostly by ethanol, refined sugar, engines and generators, land levelling machinery, auto parts, pumps and compressors, and pneumatics.
Semi-manufactured goods exports were down 7.7%, driven by a decline in shipments of crude aluminium, cast iron, raw sugar, ferroalloys and wood pulp. Exports increased only for basic goods, up 3.1%, driven by copper ore, soya bean, crude oil, soya bran, and beef.
Basic goods exports increased the most in September from August 2013 (6.4%), followed by semi-manufactured goods (2.9%), whereas manufactured goods exports were down 2.4%.
Regarding imports, pharmaceuticals were down 23.4% from September 2012. Imports also declined for optics and precision instruments (-6.1%), fuels and lubricants (-5.7%), mechanical equipment (-2.4%) and fertilizers (-1%).
In September from August 2013, the decline in imports was also driven by pharmaceuticals (-27%), followed by automobiles and auto parts (-8.8%), fertilizers (-4.3%), fuels and lubricants (-4.6%), and optics and precision instruments (-2.9%).
Second week
In the second week of September alone, which had five working days, Brazilian exports stood at US$ 5.227 billion, averaging at US$ 1.045 billion per day. Imports stood at US$ 4.610 billion, at a daily average of US$ 922 million. The resulting trade surplus was US$ 617 million.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
