Jan 21, 2013

• Record level for consultations and approvals reflects available investment

• Volume of funds released for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, R$ 50.1 billion, was the largest in the history of the Bank

The disbursements from the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) reached R$ 156 billion in 2012, an increase of 12% compared with the previous year. Consultations rose 60%, and approvals of new projects grew 58% over 2011. These figures represent unprecedented levels in the history of the Bank and reflect the interest of Brazilian entrepreneurs in investing.
 
Industry and infrastructure, together, absorbed 65% (R$ 100 billion) of the total amount disbursed by the Bank in 2012. In infrastructure, the leaders were electricity (with disbursements of R$ 18.9 billion) and highway transport (R$ 15.5 billion). Chemicals and petrochemicals (R$ 8.5 billion) and transport equipment (R$ 7 billion) were highlights in releases to industry last year.
 
Throughout the year, trade and services maintained a path of steady growth in the Bank’s loan portfolio and closed 2012 with disbursements of R$ 44 billion, some 28% of the total.
 
The good performance of BNDES in 2012 is largely the result of the measures adopted by the government to stimulate investments in the country, both the public and the private sectors. In the public sector, good performance was posted in programs such as BNDES States, and Proinveste and Propae which finance public sector investments in federal segments and disbursed R$ 11 billion last year.
 
Likewise, the BNDES Investment Maintenance Program (PSI), with low interest rates, released R$ 44 billion, with the completion of nearly 150 000 operations financing the production sector, mainly machinery and equipment. The total released was 57% for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

Consultations – In a perspective analysis, there is a growing trend for investments in 2013, as indicated by the 60% increase in consultations (R$ 312.3 billion) and 58% in approvals (R$ 260.1 billion) in 2012, compared with 2011. This increase occurred in all sectors financed by the Bank.

In industry, the growth in consultations was led by extraction sectors (R$ 32.2 billion), chemicals and petrochemicals (R$ 23.3 billion, which fall under investment projects aimed at the pre-salt layer), transport equipment (R$ 15.4 billion) and metallurgy (R$ 11 billion).
 
In infrastructure, the highlight was electric energy, with consultations reaching R$ 29.5 billion, and approvals, R$ 38.6 billion, followed by highway transport (R$ 19.6 billion in consultations), other transport (R$ 17.6 billion) and telecommunications (R$ 9 billion).

Micro, small and medium-sized companies - The volume of funds released for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) was also the largest in the Bank's history, reaching R$ 50.1 billion. Disbursements to smaller companies accounted for 32% of the BNDES’ total disbursements last year, contributing to the democratization of credit, as well as generating employment and income.

Some 990,000 operations with MSMEs were carried out in the period, representing 96% of the Bank’s total. The BNDES Card alone released R$ 9.5 billion last year, up 26%, with 707,000 operations. The decentralization of credit from the BNDES is also visible in the regional distribution of disbursements: the main highlight was the 23% growth in disbursements in the Northern region, which reached R$ 13.3 billion. Meanwhile, the Northeastern region received R$ 21 billion, some 12% more than in 2011.

December – In December 2012 alone, the BNDES disbursed R$ 34.2 billion. Traditionally, December is when there is a greater volume of loans. Last year, the trend was reinforced by the concentration of PSI operations (with lower interest rates) and Proinveste, which accelerated the pace of its operations at the end of the year.
 
Also in December, consultations to the tune of R$ 31.4 billion (up 143.5% on a monthly comparison), and approvals, R$ 51.6 billion (up 245%), reached record highs. Virtually all segments showed significant rates of growth in these stages of operation.