Brasília, 5/4/2004 (Agência Brasil) - Four months into the year of 2004, Brazil has strengthened its competitive edge in foreign trade by running a US$8.126 billion cumulative surplus, with exports at US$26.038 billion and imports at US$17.912 billion. The cumulative foreign trade surplus is up 47.02% for the first four months of the year, compared to the same period last year.

The average value of exports per working day is running at US$317.5 million, an increase of 23.9% over January to April 2003. The average value of imports has also risen, up 16.2%.

Meanwhile, the trade surplus for the last 12 months has risen to US$27.402 billion, a total of US$10 billion more than the prior 12-month period.

For the month of April, the trade surplus was US$1.958 billion. The average value of daily exports was up 15.4% (US$285.6 million).

Translator: Allen Bennett