Rio de Janeiro – Industrial production in Brazil saw a 1.3% reduction in August compared with the previous month, according to the Monthly Industrial Survey, disclosed today (02) by the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The accumulated expansion rate of industrial activity in the first eight months this year was 6%, and in the 12-month period ending in August, 6.5%.
According to the survey, more than half the sectors analysed recorded negative results. Out of 27 sectors surveyed, 15 had negative results. The one that stood out most was chemical products, at -5.5%. Deflation was also recorded in the foodstuffs (-3.1%) and oil refining (-41%) sectors, due to interruption in one of the units.
Out of the industrial segments that recorded significant growth rates, the highlights were pharmaceuticals (4.9%), electronic material and communication equipment (3.9%), and automobiles (1%).
The IBGE survey also shows that the product category that had the most relevant reduction was that of intermediate goods (inputs), at –2.7%, the highest rate of decrease for the category since October 2001.
The semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods sector also recorded a negative rate (-0.3%), after having grown by 2.7% from April to July.
In turn, capital goods (machinery and equipment) remained stable (0.1%) and durable consumer goods recovered from the losses in July (-4.3%) to grow 2.1%.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
