São Paulo – The Brazilian trade balance showed a US$ 678 million surplus last week, the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade reported this Monday (15th). The surplus came as a result of US$ 4.5 billion in exports and US$ 3.9 billion in imports. Surpluses were also registered month-to-date, at US$ 2.6 billion, and year-to-date, at US$ 349 million.
Last week, exports from Brazil averaged US$ 917.6 million per day, down 21.3% from the average for the first week of June. The decline was mostly driven by smaller sales of finished goods, including an oil rig, aluminum oxides and hydroxides, autos and auto parts, fuel oils, cargo vehicles and vehicle engines.
In the second week of June, semi-finished goods exports also declined, primarily as a consequence of raw sugar, wood pulp, leathers and hides, crude soy oil, and cast iron. Basic goods export increased in the second week of June from the first one, due to higher revenues from crude oil, iron ore, soy bran and copper ore.
Month-to-date, average daily foreign sales were slightly up by 0.4% to US$ 1.028 billion. Finished goods sales increased and semi-finished and basic goods sales went down. Finished goods exports were driven by the sale of an oil rig, non-frozen orange juice, taps and valves, aluminum oxides and hydroxides, plastic polymers, flat-rolled steel, cargo vehicles, refined sugar and auto parts.
Imports were up 16.5% in week two from week one, averaging US$ 782 million, and driven by higher spending on fuels and lubricants, mechanical equipment, home appliances, organic and inorganic chemicals, plastic and plastic products, fertilizers, and pharmaceuticals. Month-to-date, average daily imports were down 19.1% from the comparable weeks in June 2014. Brazil’s imports amounted to US$ 732.8 million in the first two weeks of this month.
Month-to-date, exports reached US$ 9.2 billion and imports reached US$ 6.5 billion. Year-to-date through the second week of June, Brazil exported products worth a combined US$ 83.9 billion and imported the equivalent of US$ 83.6 billion.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
