UPDATE 1-Brazil posts $2.36 bln Jan net outflow vs Dec inflow

Thu Feb 7, 2008 9:52am EST
(Adds data on trade, financial transactions)

SAO PAULO, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Net outflows of U.S. dollars from Brazil totaled $2.357 billion in January, compared with inflows of $5.397 billion in December, the central bank said on Thursday.
Outflows from financial transactions reached $6.53 billion last month, while trade-related transactions recorded a surplus of $4.173 billion.
Data on banks' dollar positions showed banks were less bearish on the Brazilian currency, the real BRBY.
Banks had long dollar positions of $2.79 billion at the end of January, compared with $7.332 billion at the end of December. A long position on the dollar is a bet that the U.S. currency will strengthen against the real.
(Reporting by Silvio Cascione, Translated by Todd Benson, editing by Walker Simon)