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In the second week of February (7-13), Brazil's trade balance produced a surplus of US$ 449 million, raising the year's surplus to US$ 3.232 billion.
Exports during the week amounted to US$ 1.161 billion. The daily average was US$ 387.0 million. Imports during the same period came to US$ 712 million, for a daily average of US$ 237.3 million.
According to data from the Secretariat of Foreign Trade (Secex), the increase in foreign sale in February, through the second week, was 34% more than in February, 2004. Purchases from abroad increased, also, 32.4%, compared with the same period.
So far this year, exports have amounted to US$ 10.425 billion, 17.9% more than in 2004. Imports have also grown, 12.7%; they stand at US$ 7.193 billion.
The Brazilian trade balance achieved a US$ 2.183 billion surplus in January. The most outstanding performance occurred in the fourth week of the month, when the surplus attained the mark of US$ 872 million.
The month's previous best was US$ 540, in the second week. Exports in the fourth week were the highest for the month, reaching US$ 1.952 billion, while imports, which amounted to US$ 1.080 billion, were the month's lowest.
Despite the depreciation of the dollar vis-à-vis the real, January's surplus is 24.8% higher than in January, 2004, when it stood at US$ 1.586 billion.
Exports in January totaled US$ 7.444 billion, while imports came to US$ 5.261 billion.
Translation: David Silberstein
Agência Brasil
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