Brazil ended 2009 with a surplus of US$ 28.732 billion, i.e., there was a net inflow of foreign currency in the country. The data were disclosed by the Brazilian Central Bank (BC), on Wednesday, January 6.
In the previous year, 2008, when the world was faced with the financial crisis starting in mid-September, the result had been negative by US$ 983 million.
In the years that preceded the crisis, dollar inflow in Brazil was stronger than in 2009. In 2007, the exchange flow surplus was US$ 87.454 billion and in 2006, US$ 37.270 billion.
In 2009, the flow of exchange was driven by the financial segment – comprised of investment in bonds, stock market and foreign direct investment, among others.
The financial surplus was US$ 18.808 billion, whereas the trade surplus – which involves export and import contracts – was US$ 9.924 billion. In 2008, the country recorded a financial deficit of US$ 48.883 billion and a trade surplus of US$ 47.9 billion.
In December 2009 alone, the Brazilian foreign exchange surplus was US$ 1.986 billion, as against a deficit of US$ 6.373 billion during the same period of 2008.
Last month, a US$ 3.120 billion financial surplus was recorded, whereas the trade balance posted a deficit of US$ 1.135 billion.
The BC also informed that spot market dollar purchases in December have increased the country’s foreign exchange reserves by US$ 3.486 billion.
Due to the strong dollar inflow into the country, the BC went back to purchasing dollars in May last year. In the beginning of the year, the BC was selling dollars. In the whole of last year, dollar purchases totaled US$ 27.480 billion.
