São Paulo – Exports from Brazil grossed US$ 4.219 billion in the first week of November, averaging US$ 843.8 million per business day, down 19.1% from the daily average in November 2013, according to figures released this Monday (10th) by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade.
Imports amounted to US$ 4.966 billion, averaging US$ 993.2 million per business day, up 3.9% from November 2013. As a result, the Brazilian trade balance posted a US$ 747 million deficit last week, after having run a US$ 1.17 billion deficit in October.
According to the Ministry, exports declined across all three product categories. Manufactured goods exports were down 23.2%, including cargo vehicles, passenger cars, tractors, land levelling machinery, fuel oils, orange juice and aircraft.
Basic goods exports were down 19.5%, including soy, iron ore, copper ore, maize, soy bran and tobacco leaves. Semi-finished goods exports were down 6.5%, including semi-finished iron and steel products, cast iron, raw soy oil and raw sugar.
Conversely, imports increased for fuel and lubricants (32.2%), pharmaceuticals (31.5%), fertilizers (23.1%), home appliances (8.5%), plastics (6.5%) and steel and iron products (4.5%).
Year-to-date, Brazilian exports amounted to US$ 196.184 billion, down 3.8% from average daily data from the comparable year-ago period. Imports amounted to US$ 198.802 billion, down 3.5%. Brazil’s trade deficit stands at US$ 2.618 billion, as against US$ 2.066 billion in the comparable period of 2013.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
