Automotive sector leads to first increase of industrial output in three years
February 01, 2018 09h00 AM | Last Updated: February 01, 2018 01h03 PM
Industrial output closed year 2017 with an increase of 2.5% against the 2016 figure. That is the first annual positive result since 2013, when there was a hike of 2.1%, the biggest increase since 2010, year of the record figure of 10.2% in the time series that started in 2002. There was a change of 2.8% from November to December, according to the Monthly Survey of Physical Production (PIM-PF), released today by the IBGE.
The automotive sector, trailers and bodies, accounted for the biggest contribution to the annual result of industry, with an increase of 17.2% against the 2016 figure. Also relevant were the increases in (19.6%), basic metals (4.7%) and mining and quarrying industry (4.6%). All the major categories recorded increase regarding the cumulative index in the year: durable goods (13.3%); capital goods (6.0%); intermediate goods (1.6%) and semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (0.9%).
According to the survey manager, André Macedo, the good performance of the automotive sector had a major influence on industrial output in 2017. “Increase was observed in almost all the sectors, but the car industry, mainly in the case of small ones, had the best performance. That results a great deal from the better level of stocks and to an increase in exports”.
The performance of industry was affected by the decrease of output of petroleum products and biofuels (-4.1%), pharmaceuticals (-5.3%) and other transportation equipment (-10.1%).
In spite of that positive result, says André, it is too soon to see celebrate recovery. “The year 2017 interrupted a series of decreases in Brazilian industry, but we are still far from the ideal scenario”.
