São Paulo – Brazil’s trade balance remains in a surplus in May. In the seventh business days thus far (1st to 12th), the country recorded a $ 1.104 billion surplus. The figures were released this Monday (13th) by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade.
During this period, Brazil exported the equivalent of US$ 7.588 billion, averaging at US$ 1.084 billion a day. The amount is down 2.7% from May last year. Imports stood at US$ 6.484 billion, averaging at US$ 926.3 million a day, up 0.6% from May 2012.
Basic goods exports were up, highlighting soy bran, soybean, beef and poultry, iron ore, and tobacco leaves. Manufactured goods exports were up 0.5%, driven mostly by automobiles and auto parts, non-frozen orange juice, and refined sugar.
Semi-manufactured goods exports were down 12.9%, highlighting raw soy oil, cast iron, semi-manufactured iron and steel products, and raw sugar.
Products whose imports increased the most were fertilizers (66.6%), consumer electronics (29.6%), plastics and plastic products (28.2%), organic and inorganic chemicals (15.3%), optics and precision instruments (13.1%), pharmaceuticals (9.6%), and automobiles and their parts (1.7%).
Exports were up 15.6% in May from April, during which exports averaged at US$ 937.8 million. Imports were down 5.8% in May from April, during which Brazil’s imports amounted to US$ 983 million.
In the first two weeks of May, bilateral trade stood at US$ 14.072 billion (US$ 2.010 billion on average). Bilateral trade was up 1.7% in May this year from May 2012 (US$ 1.975 billion), based on daily average figures, and up 4.7% in May from April this year (US$ 1.920 billion).
Year-to-date
Year-to-date, Brazil has exported the equivalent of US$ 79.056 billion, averaging at US$ 888.3 million. Compared with the daily average from the corresponding period in 2012, which was US$ 927.2 million, exports are down 4.2%. Imports have amounted to US$ 84.103 billion, averaging at US$ 945 million a day. The figure is up 9% from US$ 866.8 million in the corresponding period of 2012.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
