São Paulo – The Brazilian trade balance registered a surplus of USD 1.2 billion in May’s first week and, therefore, the year-to-date surplus reached USD 14.4 billion, according to data released this Monday (9) by the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC).<\/p>\n
In last week’s five business days, exports totaled USD 3.9 billion, with imports at USD 2.7 billion. Year-to-date, Brazil had earnings of USD 29.9 billion with sales abroad, and spent USD 45.5 billion in imported goods.<\/p>\n
Exports didn’t go up last week, but declined less than imports. Exports had a daily average of USD 795.8 million, 5.1% below of last May’s average. The sales of finished products declined 10%, due to weaker sales of refined sugar, fuel oils, auto parts, cargo vehicles, aluminum oxides and hydroxides, vehicle engines, pneumatic components, pumps and compressors, iron and steel flat-rolled product and electrical engines and generators.<\/p>\n
The sales average of basic goods declined 8.3% due to weaker sales of crude oil, coffee, tobacco, iron ore, poultry and salted meat. The only category that had an exports increase was the semi-finished products with 25.1%, due to stronger sales of raw aluminum, ferro-alloys, copper cathodes and wood pulp.<\/p>\n
Imports daily average declined 21.6% last week over May 2015 and stood at USD 549.2 million. Products with a decline in imports were steel products, mechanical equipment, auto and auto parts, electronic devices and fuel and lubricants.<\/p>\n
Year-to-date, the exports average declined 3.9%, with imports average registering a steeper decline with 31.6%. The foreign trade totals USD 105.365 billion in 2016 up until last week. <\/p>\n
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani<\/strong><\/p>\n