MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Latam trade surplus with US down in October

Latin America and the Caribbean trade surplus with United States fell 10.7% last November compared to October totalling 8.7 billion US dollars reported the U.S. State Department.

During the first eleven months of 2005 the region's trade surplus with the US was 92.13 billion US dollars, up from 75.28 billion in the same period 2004.

Mexico's surplus with the US fell from last October' 4.79 billion to 4.57 billion in November; thus January-November 2005 surplus was 45.89 billion compared to 41.77 billion in the first 11 months of 2004.

Brazil's trade surplus with the US totaled 700 million US dollars in November, down from 963 million in October. The 2005 eleven months surplus rose to 8.48 billion from 6.37 billion in January-November 2004. Chile posted a 70 million US dollars surplus in November, down from 166 million in October with the eleven month period of 2005 increasing to 1.06 billion compared to the 921 million US dollars of 2004.

Colombia registered a higher surplus with the US in November, 473 million US dollars, compared to 242 million last October. During the eleven month period of 2005, Colombia's surplus was 3.13 billion, compared to 2.537 billion in 2004 similar period.

A drop in oil prices was reflected in Venezuela's trade surplus with the United States which fell from 2.38 billion in October to 1.98 billion in November. However the overall 2005 eleven month surplus was 25.13 billion, up from 18.55 billion in 2004.

United States total trade deficit in November was 64.2 billion US dollars, 5.8% less than October, boosted by an increase in exports and drop in imports because of lower oil prices. US exports rose 1.8% to 109.3 billion and imports dropped to 173.5 billion.

However the US is expected to end 2005 with another trade deficit record year since in the first eleven months it already stands at 661.8 billion US dollars.