Brasília – The Brazilian balance of trade ran a surplus (exports minus imports) of US$ 24.735 billion in 2008, the lowest result since 2003. Exports reached US$ 197.942 billion and imports, US$ 173.207 billion, according to information supplied by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade.
The surplus is 38.2% lower than recorded in the previous year, of US$ 40.032 billion, when Brazilian foreign sales totalled US$ 160.649 billion and imports stood at US$ 120.617 billion.
In December, Brazil recorded a trade surplus of US$ 2.301 billion, as a result of US$ 13.818 billion in exports and US$ 11.517 billion in imports. The surplus is December was 36.8% lower than recorded during the same period of 2007, when the trade surplus was US$ 3.639 billion, and 42.7% higher than the result for November 2008 (US$ 1.613 billion).
According to the weekly survey of the Central Bank of Brazil with market analysts, the Brazilian trade surplus should decrease a little further in 2009, to reach US$ 15 billion. The Central Bank, in turn, estimates the surplus for the year at US$ 14 billion.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
