São Paulo – The Brazilian trade balance has posted a deficit for the second week running. According to the figures disclosed on Monday (16) by the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, exports totalled US$ 3.795 billion and imports, US$ 4.384 billion, which resulted in a deficit of US$ 589 million. In the first week of the year there had been a deficit of US$ 105 million.
Although foreign sales grew 7.2% from one week to the next, imports rose further, 20.3%. In the former, there was growth in shipments of partly-manufactured and basic products. In the latter, there was growth in purchases of fuels and lubricants, mechanical equipment, electric and electronic products, chemical products and instruments for precision optics.
In the accumulated result for the month, exports generated US$ 7.334 billion, with growth of 1.2% in the daily average as against January last year. Imports totalled US$ 8.028 billion, growth of 13.8% in the same comparison. The trade balance result is US$ 694 million negative.
*Translated by Mark Ament
