Brasília, January 22, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Central Bank (BC) reported a US$ 6.118 billion deficit in the balance of payments last month, but for 2003, overall, there was a surplus amounting to US$ 8.496 billion. Current accounts showed a US$ 349 million surplus in December, lifting the annual surplus to US$ 4.051 billion. Brazil hadn't registered a current accounts surplus in 11 years.

This information comes from the head of the BC's Economic Department, Altamir Lopes, who released the monthly report on the foreign sector today. He said that the balance of payments deficit in December was the direct result of the repayment of US$ 6.3 billion to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), despite the US$ 2.659 billion trade balance surplus and the influx of US$ 1.409 billion in net foreign direct investments. (DAS)