São Paulo – Brazilian exports dropped in the first week of this month when compared to September 2013 and also in relation to August this year. On the five working days between September 1st and 7th, the Brazilian trade balance ran a US$ 771 million deficit. Year-to-date through September, the difference between exports and imports has returned to negative with September’s partial results. The total deficit is at US$ 524 million.<\/p>\n
According to results disclosed this Monday (8th) by the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC), exports amounted to US$ 4.336 billion last week, averaging at US$ 867.2 million per day. The average is down 12.7% month-on-month and down 11% from August 2014.<\/p>\n
According to the MDIC, exports declined in the three product categories. Basic goods exports were down 15.5% from the first week of September 2013, especially bulk maize, iron ore, soybeans, soy bran and beef.<\/p>\n
Manufactured goods exports were down 11.6%, especially cargo vehicles, passenger cars, aircrafts, fuel oils, refined sugar and auto parts. Semi-manufactured goods exports declined by 5%, especially for raw sugar, copper cathodes and raw soybean oil.<\/p>\n
Imports, on the other hand, grew to US$ 5.017 billion between the 1st and the 7th, averaging at US$ 1.021 billion per working day. Average imports increased by 13.7% from September 2013 and by 11.2% from August 2014.<\/p>\n
According to the MDIC, year-on-year in September, imports increased by 98.4% for fuels and lubricants, 26.4% for aircraft and aircraft parts, 13.5% for steel products and 6.3% for pharmaceutical products.<\/p>\n
In the 171 working days this year, exports amounted to US$ 158.354 billion, averaging at US$ 926 million per day. Average daily exports were down 0.8% from January to September of last year. Imports amounted to US$ 158.878 billion, averaging at US$ 929.1 million per day, down 2.5%. <\/p>\n
*Translated by Rodrigo Mendonça<\/strong><\/p>\n