São Paulo, November 3, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Minister of Planning, Guido Mantega, affirmed that the primary surplus will not exceed the 4.25% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) determined by the government. The Central Bank informed today that, between January and September, the primary surplus amounted to 5.08% of the GDP. "I can guarantee that we shall end the year without one cent more than the 4.25% surplus established by the government," the Minister declared.

According to Mantega, the tendency is for the government to spend more in the second half of the year than in the first. "It is normal for the cumulative surplus to decline over the course of the year," he said.

Non-financial government accounts showed a R$ 7.8 billion surplus in September, raising this year's cumulative surplus to R$ 57.1 billion, or 5.08% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This figure surpasses the R$ 54.2 billion goal set with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the period. (DAS)