Stênio Ribeiro
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília – Brazil's international reserves in dollars rose US$3.124 billion in January, bringing total reserves to US$56.924 billion at the market close on Tuesday (February 21).

Meanwhile, the country's foreign debt was an estimated US$168,613,000,000 at the end of January, a significant drop from US$183,151,000,000 at the end of September. The debt reduction was the result of paying off an International Monetary Fund debt of US$15.5 billion, and another debt of US$815 million to the Paris Club, along with the amortization of US$1.5 billion in 2006 Global bonus bonds and the repurchase of US$774 million in foreign debt bonds.

According to Altamir Lopes, a Central Bank director, "Brazil's foreign accounts tend toward very positive results at the moment."

Translation: Allen Bennett