Brasília – Industrial optimism, as measured by the Industrial Businessman’s Confidence Index (Icei), has dropped 1 point in December, reaching 57.4 points, according to a research disclosed on Monday (17) by the National Confederation of Industries (CNI).
In November, the index had totalled 58.4 points. The Icei ranges from 0 to 100 points. According to the methodology used, values above 50 show confident businessmen.
In a statement, the organisation attributed the result to “the end of end-of-year orders and the slow recovery of the economy”. In comparison with December 2011, when the index was 55 points, there was growth of 2.4 points.
The research also shows that businessmen are “less optimistic regarding the future”. The expectation index reached 61.1 points in December, as against 62 points in November. However, the result exceeds that for December last year (58.9 points).
The study took place from December 3rd to 13th, and included 2,319 companies, small, medium and large.
*Translated by Mark Ament
