Brasília – Economic activity presented a reduction of 1.4% in May as against the previous month, according to the Economic Activity index of the Central Bank (IBC-Br) unseasoned (adjusted for the period), disclosed on Friday (12). It was the greatest reduction in the historic series, which started being recorded in 2003, in this kind of comparison.
The retraction came after two months running of expansion in the index, according to revised figures. In April, as against March, expansion in the revised index was 0.96%. As against the same month last year, there was growth of 2.28% (without adjustment). In the year, the IBC-Br presented expansion of 3.01%, and in the 12 months ending in May, 1.74%.
IBC-Br is a form of evaluating and forecasting the economic activity in Brazil. The index incorporates information about the level of activity of the three sectors of the economy: industry, trade and services and agriculture.
The following of the index is considered important by the BC so there may be greater comprehension of economic activity.
*Translated by Mark Ament
