Brazil: Merchandise trade surplus narrows in September
Latest reading: In September, the trade balance was USD +3.0 billion, following a USD +5.9 billion reading in the prior month. This marked the lowest surplus recorded since February this year. Over the last 12 months, the trade balance summed to USD +61.0 billion.
Merchandise exports increased 7.2% in annual terms in September, after rising 2.9% in the previous month. This upswing was fueled by increased shipments of agricultural, manufacturing and extractive-industry goods. Meanwhile, merchandise imports increased 17.7% in year-on-year terms in September, coming on the back of a 2.1% drop in the previous month. Stronger imports of agricultural and manufacturing goods outweighed a sharp decline in extractive-industry imports.