São Paulo – The sale of an oil rig from Brazil for USD 818 million drove up the trade surplus and export revenues in the fourth week of December. The Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade reported this Monday (28) that in the four business days from December 21 to 27, Brazil exported USD 3.623 billion worth of goods and imported USD 1.599 billion. The resulting surplus was USD 2.024 billion.
Ministry numbers show exports averaged USD 905.8 million in the fourth week of December, up 16.4% from the third week. Finished goods exports, including the oil rig, averaged USD 482 million per day, up 45.4% from USD 331.6 million in the third week.
Semi-finished goods exports were up 5.7% in the fourth week of December, driven by wood pulp, semi-finished gold and leathers and hides. Basic goods exports dropped 10.3% on the back of weaker iron ore, crude oil and maize sales. Imports dropped 27% to USD 399.8 million as a consequence of reduced purchases of fuels and lubricants, mechanical equipment and consumer electronics.
Month-to-date through the fourth week of December, Brazil exported USD 14.514 billion and imported USD 9.272 billion in goods, resulting in a USD 5.243 billion surplus. Average exports in the period slid 1.4% from a year ago to USD 806.4 million. Finished goods exports climbed 16.5%, with semi-finished goods dropping 2.4% and basic goods losing 9.9%.
Year-to-date through last Sunday, Brazil grossed USD 188.866 billion from exports and imported the equivalent of USD 170.182 billion, running a USD 18.684 billion surplus. A year ago, it posted a USD 4.414 billion deficit.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
