Brasília – The Brazilian trade balance posted a US$ 47 million deficit in the third week of May, after two consecutive weekly surpluses, according to the weekly results released this Monday (20th) by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade. Month-to-date, the trade balance is running a US$ 1.057 billion surplus, as a consequence of the results in the first two weeks. In April, the trade balance showed a record-high US$ 994 million deficit, the highest for the period since 1959.
The weekly deficit stemmed from US$ 5.168 billion in imports and US$ 5.121 billion in exports. Month-to-date, exports have exceeded imports. The former stood at US$ 12.709 billion and the latter, at US$ 11.652 billion.
In the third week of May, exports averaged at US$ 1.024 billion a day, down 5.5% from US$ 1.084 billion in the first and second weeks. Imports averaged at US$ 1.034 billion, up 11.6% from the first two weeks based on daily average figures. According to the ministry, increased spending on fuels and lubricants, mechanical equipment, and automobiles has contributed to the increase in imports during the period.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
