São Paulo – Brazilian exports outpaced imports by USD 1.6 billion last week, the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade reported this Monday (14). Exports reached USD 4.2 billion with imports at USD 2.6 billion.
Average daily exports were up 12% to USD 851.2 million and imports dropped 6.5% to USD 531.1 million in the week. Exports increased over the first week of December led by basic goods, up 23.1%, especially crude oil, iron ore, maize, soy bran, beef and coffee bean.
Exports were also buoyed by higher sales of semi-finished goods, which were up 38.4% driven by raw sugar, wood pulp, semi-finished iron and steel, ferroalloys, semi-finished gold, cast iron and raw aluminum.
However, finished goods exports dropped 7.6%, driven by aircraft, electric motors and generators, pumps, compressors and their parts, flexible iron and steel pipes, refined sugar, auto engines, cargo vehicles and ethanol.
Imports declined primarily as a result of reduced spending on fuels and lubricants, automobiles and their parts, organic and inorganic chemicals, fertilizers and pharmaceuticals.
Year-to-date through last week, Brazil’s trade surplus was USD 15.8 billion. Exports reached USD 181.6 billion and imports reached USD 165.8 billion. Total trade was USD 347.4 billion. Average daily exports dropped 14.6% and imports dropped 23.3%.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
