São Paulo – Brazil ran a USD 1.034 billion trade surplus in the first week of July, with exports coming out to USD 4.352 billion and imports amounting to USD 3.318 billion. Year-to-date, exports reached USD 118.064 billion and imports reached USD 87.097 billion, leading to a USD 30.967 billion surplus.
Exports averaged USD 870.3 million in the first week of July, down 2.6% from a year ago, as a result of a 29.3% drop in sales of finished goods, including oil rigs, aircraft, aluminum oxides and hydroxides, flexible iron and steel pipes and refined sugar.
Semi-finished goods exports were down 11.6%, driven by raw sugar, semi-finished gold, leather and hides, cast iron and ferroalloys.
Basic goods exports were up 26.5% on the back of soybeans, copper ore, iron ore, soya bran, poultry and beef.
In the first week of July from the first week of June, exports dropped by 9.5%, driven by a 28% drop in finished goods exports, a 20.9% drop in semi-finished goods exports, and a 10.6% increase in basic goods exports.
Imports averaged USD 663.5 million, up 11.7% from a year ago. Imports of cereals and milling industry products climbed 75%; pharmaceutical imports were up 30.5%; auto and auto part imports increased by 24.2%; organic and inorganic chemical imports climbed 24%; and fuel and lubricant imports were up 11.8%.
In July from June, imports were down 2.7%, with iron and steel product imports dropping by 20.9% auto and auto part imports going down 14.3%; pharmaceutical imports sliding by 10.7%; electric and electronic equipment imports down 7.6%; and mechanical equipment imports sliding by 7.5%.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
