Brazil’s preliminary trade balance data for the third week of May 2026 shows a significant improvement compared to the same period last year. The trade surplus reached US$ 1.5 billion, with a total trade flow of US$ 13.5 billion, driven by US$ 7.5 billion in exports and US$ 6 billion in imports.
For the year to date, Brazil’s exports have reached US$ 140 billion and imports US$ 109.6 billion, resulting in a positive trade balance of US$ 30.4 billion. This represents a 32.9% increase over the same period in 2025. The total trade flow for the first five months of the year stands at US$ 249.6 billion.
In May alone, exports amount to US$ 23.5 billion and imports US$ 17.8 billion, for a monthly surplus of US$ 5.7 billion and a trade flow of US$ 41.3 billion.
The figures were released today by the Secretariat of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (Secex/MDIC).
Growth in Exports and Imports
On a daily average basis, exports in the first three weeks of May 2026 reached US$ 1.565 billion, up 9.9% from the US$ 1.424 billion average in May 2025. Imports averaged US$ 1.188 billion, a 9.2% increase from the US$ 1.088 billion average last year. The overall daily trade flow averaged US$ 2.7546 billion, with a daily surplus of US$ 376.8 million — a 9.6% increase in trade flow compared to May 2025.
Sector Performance
Sectoral data for the first three weeks of May 2026 compared to the same period last year shows:
- Exports:
- Agriculture: +US$ 65.17 million (up 18.5%)
- Manufacturing: +US$ 111.89 million (up 15.4%)
- Extractive Industry: -US$ 37.56 million (down 11.1%)
- Imports:
- Extractive Industry: +US$ 1.37 million (up 3.0%)
- Manufacturing: +US$ 98.79 million (up 9.8%)
- Agriculture: -US$ 1.31 million (down 5.5%)
The data indicates a broad-based improvement in Brazil’s trade performance, with manufacturing and agriculture leading export growth, while extractive industries saw a decline. Import growth was strongest in manufacturing, with a slight drop in agricultural imports.
These results reflect a strengthening of Brazil’s trade position in the first half of 2026, with both exports and imports growing, but exports outpacing imports, leading to a larger surplus.
Source: Gov
