Brazil is expected to post first trade deficit since 2000

Brazil is this year, for the first time since 2000, is expected to post a balance of trade deficit which, according to the Brazilian Foreign Trade Association (Aeb), and should be in the range of 2 billion dollars.

According to a statement issued on the Aeb website the new figure for the trade deficit is a review of figures published in December 2012 which points to a surplus of 16.6bn dollars.

The deficit, according to Aeb, which is a private non-profit body that represents companies exporting and importing goods and services, is the result of a 5% drop in exports to 230.5 billion and a rise of 4.2% in imports to 232.5 billion.