After falling for two consecutive months, industrial sector payrolls rose in September 0.3%, compared to August. Compared to September 2003, the increase was 10.2%.

The three thousand businessmen to meet as from today, November 22, at the 24th National Foreign Trade Meeting (Enaex), in São Paulo, will have ahead of them the task of finding ways of maintaining the current level of Brazilian export in 2005, a year of probable deceleration of foreign trade expansion.

Although a number of memorandums will be signed in various areas, the main objective of Russian president Vladimir Putin's visit to Brazil, which begins today, is to obtain support for Russian membership in the World Trade Organization.

In less than two decades, Brazilian agricultural production has grown an incredible 111%, reaching the figure of 123 million tons last year. Lack of transport infrastructure, especially the port system, however, may hinder, and even halt Brazil's effort to become a global exporter.