The trade balance recorded in May surplus of 6.43 billion dollars, the best result for the month of the series, which began in 1989. Exports reached 17.571 billion dollars and imports, 11.134 billion dollars, reported the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Services, on Wednesday.

The result was above market forecasts, according to research AE Projections with 27 institutions. The forecasts pointed to a surplus in May between 4.29 billion and 5.80 billion.

Last month, imports fell by 24.3% over the same month of 2015, while exports fell much less, 0.2% over the same period. The positive balance is due, therefore, more to the fall in imports than the increase in exports.