Brazil's Budget Deficit Widens

Brazil's budget deficit widened to 9.22% of gross domestic product in May from a revised 9.14% in April, the country's central bank said Friday.

The so-called primary budget balance, which excludes interest payments and is a barometer of the country's capacity to pay down debt, was a deficit equal to 2.47% of GDP in May, up from a revised 2.28% in April, the bank said.

Brazil's gross debt rose to 72.5% of GDP in May, from a revised 71.3% level in April.

Write to Paulo Trevisani at paulo.trevisani@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 30, 2017 10:01 ET (14:01 GMT)