weekly_edition_820

15 3.5 to 3.10.2018 The sectors responsible for this growth were those of organic and inorganic chemicals, up 45%, fuels and lubricants, 38.7%, and vehicles and parts, 30.5%. Exports increased 11.4% compared to the same period of last year, US$ 972.6 million, against US$ 872.8 million during the same period last year. The expansion was boosted by the rise in sales of three categories: semimanufactured, a 19.4% increase in pulp, ferro-alloys and raw sugar, manufactured, with na increase of 11.8%, due to fuel oils, oxides and hydroxides aluminum, aircraft and cargo vehicles, and basic, with expansion of 8.9%, driven by soybeans, soybean meal, copper ore and corn grain. In total, the trade balance of the first two weeks of March registered a surplus of US$ 1.9 billion, a result of exports of US$ 6.8 billion and imports of US$ 4.8 billion.