São Paulo – The Brazilian trade balance had another week of surplus. Data released this Monday (17th) by the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC) shows that exports overcame imports in US$ 670 million last week, from August 10th to 14th. External sales totaled US$ 3.37 billion, with purchases at US$ 2.7 billion.
The trade balance is registering surplus since the second half of July. The last week to records a deficit was the second one of July. Year-to-date ending last week, the balance is also positive with US$ 6 billion, with exports revenues at US$ 120.1 billion and spending with imports at US$ 114.1 billion.
The exports daily average of last week, however, declined 13.5% over the first week of the month. It stood at US$ 675.2 million over US$ the previous 781.2 million. There was a decline of 28% on semi-finished sales, due mainly to wood pulp, raw sugar and semi-finished steel and iron products.
Sales of finished products also declined 10%, with a slower performance of autoparts, flat-rolled products, engines for vehicles and its parts. The same occurred with basic goods, a sector in which exports declined 11%, due especially to soybean in grain, iron ore, poultry and pork.
The imports daily average presented a decline of 15% over the first week of the month, with US$ 541.2 million. The drop was due to slower purchases of fuel and lubricants, mechanical equipment, electronics, auto and autoparts, plastic products, pharmaceuticals and organic and inorganic fertilizers.
In the first two weeks of this month, exports totaled US$ 7.28 billion, with imports at US$ 5.88 billion. Surplus stands at US$ 1.39 billion.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
