São Paulo – Brazil ran a USD 1.887 billion trade surplus in the first week of January, which had three business days. Exports fetched USD 3.86 billion, while imports amounted to USD 1.973 billion. The numbers were made public this Monday (7) by the Brazilian Ministry of Economy’s Foreign Trade Secretariat (Secex).
On average per business day, foreign sales were up 66.2% over January 2018, with stronger sales for all three product categories: basic, semi-finished and finished goods. Basic goods exports were up 110.8%, driven by crude oil, iron ore, soya bran, soybeans and maize; semi-finished goods exports climbed 54.8% on the back of iron/steel, wood pulp, ferroalloys, semi-finished gold and copper cathodes; and finished goods exports increased by 30.4%, driven by flat-rolled iron or steel, aircraft, aluminum oxides and hydroxides, gasoline, and cargo vehicles.
Imports averaged USD 657.7 million a day, up 1.9% year-on-year. Imports were up 47.3% for fertilizers, 44.1% for organic and inorganic chemicals, 39% for cereals and milling industry products, 14.3% for plastic and plastic products, and 11% for customer electronics.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
