São Paulo – Last week, USD 3.37 billion worth of goods were exported from Brazil. Imports reached USD 2.875 billion, leading to a USD 499 million trade surplus, the Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services said this Monday (10).
Exports averaged at USD 674.8 million per business day, an 11.7% drop from the first week of October 2015. Basic goods exports fell 25.1% with weaker sales of maize, raw sugar, soy and soy bran, beef and poultry.
Finished goods exports slid 6.1% driven by aircraft, automobiles, auto parts and engines, electric motors and generators, and cargo vehicles.
Semi-finished goods exports climbed 15.5% on the back of cast iron, raw aluminum, raw sugar, leather and hides, and semi-finished gold.
Imports averaged at USD 575 million in the first week of October, a 14.1% drop over the comparable period of 2015.
The ministry said imports declined for fuels and lubricants (-62.1%), fertilizers (-36.6%), autos and auto parts (-23.4%), mechanical equipment (-18.5%), and organic and inorganic chemicals (-12.5%).
Year-to-date through last week, exports reached USD 142.74 billion and imports hit USD 106.061 billion, yielding a USD 36.68 billion surplus.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
