Brasília – The Brazilian Central Bank’s Economic Activity Index (IBC-Br), non-seasonal (adjusted for the period), was back to growth in October, after a 0.52% decline in the preceding month. In October, the index was up 0.36% from September. This year, the IBC-Br recorded a decline in January (-0.19%), February (-0.34%) and March (-0.18%), as well as September. In the other months, the index increased.
Compared with October 2011, the index was up 4.96%, according to the non-adjusted index for the period, which is regarded as best suited for this type of comparison. The IBC-Br was up 1.57% year-to-date, and up 1.5% over a 12-month period% (non-adjusted).
The IBC-Br is a means to evaluate and foretell the evolution of Brazilian economic activity. Still, the index indicated a higher economic growth rate in quarter three than the actual rate. The IBC-Br pointed to a 1.15% increase in quarter three from quarter two this year, but the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), i.e. the sum of all goods and services produced in the country, was up 0.6%.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
