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 Brazil's trade balance of trade (exports minus imports) recorded a surplus of US$ 1.66 billion in the third week of August. Foreign sales totaled US$ 5.304 billion, and purchases, US$ 3.638 billion. The surplus for the month so far stands at US$ 2.119 billion, with purchases of US$ 11.193 billion and sales of US$ 9.074 billion.
In comparison with August last year, exports grew 55% on average per business day, and imports increased 64.2%. The surplus, considering the average per business day, rose 25.1%.
In the accumulated result for the year so far, the Brazilian balance of trade is running a surplus of US$ 16.772 billion, with exports of US$ 122.291 billion and imports of US$ 105.519 billion.
Brazilian exports set a monthly record in July. Foreign shipments totaled US$ 20.453 billion, growth of 38.6% in average daily exports compared with the same month last year, according to figures disclosed by the Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade.
Imports reached a record high in July as well. They totaled US$ 17.149 billion, growth of 52.2% in average daily imports over the same month in 2007. There was a US$ 3.304 billion surplus on the Brazilian side, a figure 5.5% lower than in July last year, considering the daily average.
Flow of trade, i.e., the sum of exports and imports, stood at US$ 37.602 billion in the month.
Rio Exports
Exports from the state of Rio de Janeiro grew 31.5% in the first half of this year over the same period in 2007 and reached US$ 7.7 billion. The figures were disclosed by the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan). The value is record.
Imports into Rio grew even more, reaching US$ 6.371 billion, expansion of 53.3%. The trade balance surplus in the period was US$ 1.397 billion. According to the Firjan, the expansion of exports from the state is above the national average, at 26%.
In the month of June alone, Rio answered to 10.9% of all the country's exports. In June, exports reached US$ 2.029 billion and imports, the record value of US$ 1.413 billion, generating a surplus of US$ 615.1 million. The result was 261.8% greater than in June 2007.
Among the products exported in June, basic ones were responsible for 64.8% of the total, and manufactured products for 28.1%. Oil registered the greatest growth in sales, 226.8% more than in June last year. Foreign sales of the product reached US$ 1.597 billion this month.
Imports in June practically doubled over the same month last year, having grown 98.2%. Fuel imports alone grew 213.6%, and they were responsible for 39.1% of the import basket.
The main destination for exports, both in June and in the year to date was the United States, which bought US$ 760 million in the month and US$ 2.036 billion throughout the year, thanks mainly to oil and natural gas. In the case of imports, apart from the United States, comes Saudi Arabia, each with 19% of purchases from Rio - around US$ 1.2 billion - this year.
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