São Paulo – Machinery and equipment industry revenues stood at 6.4 billion reals (US$ 3.5 billion) in February, a figure 9.9% higher than January’s, according to figures disclosed this Wednesday (11th) by the Brazilian Machinery Manufacturers Association (Abimaq). In comparison with February 2011, there was a 6.9% increase.
According to the survey, in January the industry had a 19.6% decline in revenues as against December. In the first two months of the year, revenues reached 12.1 billion reals (US$ 6.6 billion), a figure 7.4% higher than in the same period of last year.
The Abimaq vice president, Carlos Pastoriza, stated that the increase seen in February is usual during the period. “January is always the lowest month of the year, because of the holidays, during which the output drops,” he said.
The agricultural machinery industry posted a 32.8% increase in revenues. The goods-on-demand industry posted a 18.9% increase, and revenues grew by 5.4% for “other machinery.” Revenues dropped for textile machinery, by 54.5%, plastics processing machinery (-47.9%) and wood processing machinery (-20.1%).
The industrial balance of trade posted a US$ 3.1 billion deficit in the first two months of 2012, 24.7% more than in the first two months of last year. According to Abimaq, exports increased by 9% and reached US$ 1.8 billion. In February alone, exports stood at US$ 893 million, a figure 3.1% lower than in January and 0.1% lower than in February 2011.
Imports reached US$ 4.9 billion, a figure 18.3% higher than that of the first two months of 2011. In February, imports reached US$2.4 million, which is 0.8% less than January and 18.8% more than in February of last year.
With regard to employment, there was a 0.3% increase in the number of employed persons in February compared with January, i.e. the level remained stable.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
