Bankruptcy requests in Brazil sank by 33.9% in January compared to the prior month and by 12.2% compared to year-ago levels, according to data from credit research firm Boa Vista SCPC.

Judicial recovery requests also sank 36.5% between January and December 2016; compared to a year earlier, such requests fell 35%.

Although the 12-month aggregate period through January is up 11.1% year over year, both solvency indicators showed a continuous deceleration since the beginning of the second half of 2016, a trend that should continue given better macroeconomic conditions and expected resumption of economic activity and investments, among others, Boa Vista noted in a news release.