Rio de Janeiro – Brazilian industry grew 0.2% in June when compared to May, the sixth positive rate running. The relative result in the first half of the year, however, shows the worst result since the beginning of the recording of the Monthly Physical Industrial Production Research, in 1975. In the first six months of 2009, the industry accumulated a reduction of 13.4% in comparison with the same period last year.
When compared to June 2008, the reduction was 10.9%, the eighth reduction running. In the 12 months ending in June (the annualised result), industrial production dropped 6.5%. In the second quarter, there was growth of 3.4% when compared to the second quarter of 2008, industrial production dropped 12.3%.
The figures were disclosed today (3) by the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE). According to the study, between the months of May and June, 13 of the 27 industrial areas registered expansion. The highlight was the sector of extraction industries, which grew 5.3% in the period. Then came vehicles (2.6%), other chemical products (2.9%) and basic metallurgy (2.0%). The main negative pressures were exerted by the food industry (-5.4%), pharmaceutical (-4.9%) and other transport equipment (-4.4%).
In the same comparison, the IBGE document reveals that there was growth in three of the four categories. Capital goods rose 2.1%, intermediary goods, 0.7%, and consumer goods, 0.4%.
When compared to June 2008, there was a reduction in 22 of the 27 sectors researched. The IBGE technicians pointed out that "this result may largely be explained by the booming terms of comparison, as activity had grown in the first half of 2008."
The main negative impact was exerted by vehicles, which dropped 18.9%. Then came machinery and equipment (-27.4%), basic metallurgy (-22.8%) and electronic material and communications equipment (-34.5%).
*Translated by Mark Ament
