Agência Brasil*
Rio de Janeiro – According to data disclosed yesterday (12th) by the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE), industrial employment decreased 0.4% in January compared with December 2007, in the seasonally adjusted series. This is the second negative result back-to-back.
In the monthly analysis, however, the indicator is positive, showing an increase of 2.8% compared with the same month last year. According to the IBGE, the result confirms a sequence of 19 consecutive positive growth rates, which total an increase of 2.3% in the last 12 months.
The IBGE highlighted the fact that this is the highest accumulated industrial occupation rate in a 12-month period since 2005, when the rate was 2.4%. Industrial employment growth in January was influenced by the positive results recorded in 12 of the 14 locations surveyed.
The southeastern Brazilian state of São Paulo led the expansion of industrial employment with a 4.7% rise. Sector highlights in January were machinery and equipment (12.5%), transport (10.8%), metal products (11.6%) and machinery, electric and electronic devices, and communication devices (12.5%).
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
