Stênio Ribeiro
Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília – Brazil's current account balance was up US$911 million in the month of October, bringing the cumulative increase in the balance for the year to US$11.9 billion, an increase of 11.35% over the same period last year. That is also more than the final balance for the whole year of 2004 (when it closed out at US$11.738 billion).

The Central Bank says it now expects to close out this year with a currenct account balance of plus US$13.6 billion. And the forecast for the final, year-end trade surplus is now US$43 billion (up from US$38 billion). The bank also readjusted its forecast for the 2006 trade surplus to US$34 billion (up from US$29 billion).

Translation: Allen Bennett