Stênio Ribeiro
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - In the month of January, Brazil's balance of payments (summarizing the country's economic transactions with the rest of the world) achieved a US$ 2.005 billion surplus, in consequence of a US$ 818 positive balance in current transactions (flows involving goods and services) and a US$ 1.187 billion surplus in financial accounts (monetary flows between Brazil and the rest of the world).

These figures appear in a report on the Foreign Sector released yesterday (21) by the Central Bank (BC). Emphasis is given to last month's US$ 2.183 billion trade surplus and the influx of US$ 1.218 billion in foreign investments. The BC report also notes that Brazil's international reserves rose US$ 1.087 billion in January, raising the total to US$ 54.022 billion.

According to the BC's Economic Department, in November, 2004, Brazil's foreign debt came to US$ 203.527 billion.

Translation: David Silberstein