Brasília – Finance sector analysts approached by the Central Bank of Brazil have increased their forecast for growth of the Brazilian economy this year, from 4.50% to 4.60%. For 2012, the estimate for expansion of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the sum of all goods and services produced in the country, has been maintained at 4.5%.
The expected growth of industrial production this year has been expanded from 5.02% to 5.03%, and maintained at 5% for 2012.
The forecast for the ratio between the public sector’s net debt and GDP was reduced from 39.30% to 39.10% in 2011, and maintained at 37.80% for next year.
Expectations for the exchange rate are for one dollar to cost 1.75 Brazilian real at the end of 2011 and 1.80 real at the end of next year. The forecast for the trade surplus (the positive difference resulting from exports minus imports) was expanded from US$ 9.27 billion to US$ 9.52 billion this year and was reduced from US$ 5.20 billion to US$ 5 billion in 2012.
For the deficit in current account transactions (the difference between sale and purchases of goods and services between Brazil and the international market), the estimate has been increased from US$ 67 billion to US$ 67.87 billion in 2011 and from US$ 68.76 billion to US$ 68.90 billion next year.
Expectations for foreign direct investment (funds that go to the productive sector in the country) are still maintained at US$ 40 billion this year and have been increased from US$ 41 billion to US$ 42.19 billion in 2012.
*Translated by Mark Ament
