Stênio Ribeiro
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - Brazilian exports contributed to a record-breaking trade surplus of US$ 33.081 billion, with one week left before the final figures are in for the year. The year-end balance will be presented next Monday (3) by the Minister of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade, Luiz Fernando Furlan.

According to the survey released today by the Central Bank, the financial market reduced its prognosis for this year's trade surplus from US$ 33 billion to US$ 32.9 billion. Nevertheless, the surplus for the year, including this week's five business days, could conceivably reach US$ 34 billion, if last week's US$ 1.188 billion surplus is repeated. Last week's surplus lifted the cumulative figure for the month to US$ 2.885 billion.

During the first 18 business days of December, exports totaled US$ 7.618 billion, for a daily average of US$ 423.2 million, while imports came to US$ 4.733 billion, for a daily average of US$ 262.9 million. According to a bulletin issued by the Secretariat of Foreign Trade, there was a an average increase of 31.1% in exports and 29.1% in imports.

(Translation: David Silberstein)