Brazil and US report same GDP growth over the first quarter

Rio de Janeiro – The 0.6% increase of Brazil's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over the first quarter this year compared to the previous quarter (the total value of all goods and services produced in the country) was the same as the one recorded by the United States. According to the Brazilian Statistics Institute (“Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística – IBGE”), Brazil's figures fall behind Japan's and Korea's (both up 0.9%).

Brazil's economy has grown more than Mexico's (0.5%), the United Kingdom's (0.3%) and Germany's (0.1%) in the period. A decrease was reported by Portugal (-0.3%), Italy (-0.5%), and Spain (-0.5%). The overall figure for the European Union was also negative – 0.1% down.

In the year-on-year comparison and considering BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – Brazil's 1.9% growth over the first quarter 2013 as against the same period last year was the same as South Africa's and surpassed Russia's (1.6%). Chinese economy went 7.7% up. As of the publication of this news report, India has not disclosed its GDP figures.

Edition: José Romildo/ Nira Foster
Translators: Mayra Borges/Olga Bardawil