Alana Gandra
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Rio - During the first nine months of this year, Petrobrás - Brazilian Petroleum, S.A. - registered net profits of US$ 6.9 billion, according to the financial report released by the State enterprise on Friday (11). According to the company's press office, this is the largest single-year profit ever made by Petrobrás through the month of September. It represents a growth of 23% compared with last year's profits for the equivalent period. The company attributes the positive result to production increases and exports.

Petrobrás chalked up US$ 2.29 billion in profits in the third quarter, as against US$ 1.83 billion in the third quarter of 2004, according to calculations presented by the Securities Commission (CVM).

Between January and September of this year, Petrobrás' net operating receipts amounted to US$ 44.5 billion, up 20% from last year's total over the same period.

Translation: David Silberstein