Brazil's consolidated public sector account registered a deficit of 16.9 billion reals (about 4.2 billion U.S. dollars) in August, up 77 percent year-on-year, Brazil's Central Bank said Friday.

The government target is a maximum fiscal deficit of 161.3 billion reals (about 40.3 billion dollars) in 2018.

In the 12-month period ending in August, the consolidated public sector registered a primary deficit of 84.4 billion reals (about 21 billion dollars), equivalent to 1.25 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

The figures reflect the fiscal performance of the Federal Union, the states, the municipalities and state businesses -- but excluding banks, the state-run petroleum company Petrobras and energy company Eletrobras -- and not taking into account interest payments from debt.