Foreign direct investment in Brazil was US$11.5 billion last month, the Brasil news agency reports, citing the Brazilian central bank.

The news agency says it was the highest on record for the month of January since the bank began collecting its current series of statistics.

The report quotes bank official Tulio Maciel as saying so large a sum was uncommon early in the year. He attributed the surge to acquisitions of Brazilian companies in the electricity business.

FDI helps the Brazilian economy by generating paid work, tax revenues and profits – some of which are reinvested in Brazil, the news agency reports.