Industrial production
Intermediate goods prevent industry recovery in Q1
May 03, 2018 09h00 AM | Last Updated: June 05, 2018 11h00 AM
After a decrease of -2.2% in January, there was stability in February (0.1%) and March (-0.1%), reflecting an overall scenario of decrease in output against the positive level recorded at the end of 2017. That was due, to a great extent, to the negative rates of the category of intermediate goods, both in comparison with February (-0.7%) and with March 2017 figures (-0.2%). That is what shows the Monthly Survey of Industry, released today by the IBGE.
Intermediate goods represented about 60% of the national industry. That is a comprehensive category which includes the raw material of industry itself, the main highlights being commodities such as iron ore and petroleum, pulp, sugar, soybean products, metallurgy products, manure and fertilizers, besides biofuels and products from petroleum refining.
“That explains why, from February to March, despite the decrease in this category alone, so many activities recorded negative rates", explains André Macedo, manager of the survey.
Against the same monh a year ago, industry grew 1.3%, and completed a period of 11 months with positive rates; it recorded, however, the lowest result in the series, following the trend to decrease.
“Intermediate goods are directly related to the dynamics of domestic demand. As a result, when demand decreases, there is retraction in this category and that has an impact on the general indicator”, adds André Macedo.
