Brasília, February 9, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Market analysts seem to be recovering their optimism with regard to the country's resumption of growth. The Central Bank's (BC) most recent weekly survey of around a hundred financial consultants indicates that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) should grew 3.68% in 2004. More than the 3.60% they predicted at the beginning of January.

This improvement in prospects seems small, but it is accompanied by improved estimates for other market indicators. This is the case with expectations for the trade balance surplus, which rise a little each week, whenever the Ministry of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade announces the weekly foreign trade balance.

The prognosis, which a month ago put the year-end surplus at US$ 20 billion, now stands at US$ 20.55 billion. (DAS)