In the seasonally-adjusted series, volume of services in Brazil changed 0.2% in April 2025 over the previous month. As a result, the services sector was 17.3% above the pre-pandemic level (February 2020) and 0.2% below the peak of the time series (October 2024).

In the seasonally-unadjusted series, volume of services advanced 1.8% over April 2024, the 13th positive rate in a row. The cumulative index in the year reached 2.2% and the cumulative index in 12 months in April 2025 (2.7%) decelerated its growth pace over March 2025 (3.1%).

The change of 0.2% in volume of services in April 2025, in the seasonally-adjusted series, was observed in only one out of five activities surveyed: transportation (0.5%), which registered the third consecutive positive figure, with a cumulative gain of 2.8%. All the other sectors recorded negative rates, highlighted by the retraction reported in other services (-2.3%), which registered the second setback in a row, with a cumulative loss of 2.6%. The other decreases came from professional, administrative and complementary services (-0.5%), information and communication (-0.2%) and services rendered to families (-0.1%), all of them offsetting small gains accumulated in recent months: of 1.8% in the first sector, of 3.9% in the second one and of 2.2% in the last sector.

The quarterly moving average was 0.5% in the quarter ended in April 2025 against the previous month. Among the sectors, still in the seasonally-adjusted series, the positive behavior of the services sector, in this type of indicator, was followed by four out of five activities: transportation (0.9%), services rendered to families (0.7%), information and communication (0.5%) and professional, administrative and complementary services (0.5%). In its turn, other services (0.0%) remained stable in April.

Compared with April 2024, volume of services advanced 1.8%, the 13th positive rate in a row. This month’s advance was followed by four out of five activities investigated and also recorded increases in 51.2% of the 166 types of services surveyed.

Among the sectors, that of information and communication (5.8%) exerted the major positive impact, mainly leveraged by the increase in revenue in portals, content providers and other information services on the Internet, data handling, application services providers and hosting services on the Internet, software licensing and development, and on-demand development of computer programs.

Other increases were those of services rendered to families (4.8%), transportation, support services to transportation and mailing (1.1%), and professional, administrative and complementary services (0.5%), explained, to a great extent, by the increasing revenue coming from restaurants and hotels, in the first sector; air transportation of passengers, cargo logistics, inland transportation of cargo, and management of ports and terminals, in the second one; and agencying of advertisement, consulting in business management, intermediation of businesses in general through applications or e-commerce platforms, and reservation services related to accommodation, in the last sector.

On the other hand, other services (-5.2%) exerted the only negative influence, especially pressed by the lower revenue coming from auxiliary financial services, securities brokerages, financial support services for insurance and complementary pension funding, and maintenance and repair of motor vehicles.

The cumulative index in the year against the same period a year ago stayed at 2.2%, with four out of five dissemination activities showing positive rates and a growth of 57.2%% in the 166 types of services investigated. Among the sectors, the most important positive contribution came from the sector of information and communication (6.5%), leveraged, to a great extent, by the increase in the revenue of companies that work in the segments of portals, content providers and other information services on the Internet, software development and licensing, telecommunications, data handling, application services providers and hosting services on the Internet, on-demand development of computer programs, and consulting in information technology.

The other advances came from transportation, support services to transportation and mailing (1.0%), professional, administrative and complementary services (1.6%), and services rendered to families (2.4%), mainly explained by the increasing revenue in companies that work in air transportation of passengers, cargo logistics, management of ports and terminals, and airport concessionaires, in the first sector; agencying of advertisement, intermediation of businesses in general through applications for e-commerce platforms, consulting in business management, general cleaning, and reservation services related to accommodation, in the second one; and restaurants, hotels, and catering services, in the last sector.

In contrast, other services (-2.6%) exerted the only negative influence, pressed, to a great extent, by the decreasing revenue coming from auxiliary financial services activities, credit card administration, management of funds by contract or commission, supporting activities to agriculture, and maintenance and repair of motor vehicles.

Services grow in 18 out of 27 Federation Units in April

In regional terms, most (18) of the 27 Federation Units recorded an expansion in volume of services in April 2025 compared with the immediately previous month, following the slight increase registered for Brazil (0.2%).

The biggest positive impacts came from São Paulo (0.8%), Pernambuco (5.3%), Mato Grosso (2.8%) and Minas Gerais (0.6%). Conversely, Rio de Janeiro (-3.2%) exerted the major negative influence this month, followed by Bahia (-2.4%) and Goiás (-3.2%).

Compared with April 2024, the advance in volume of services in Brazil (0.2%) was followed by 19 out of 27 Federation Units. The most important positive contribution came from São Paulo (2.7%), followed by the Federal District (8.9%), Santa Catarina (5.2%), Rio de Janeiro (1.3%) and Mato Grosso (5.8%). On the other hand, Rio Grande do Sul (-8.6%) led the losses this month, followed by Minas Gerais (-1.2%) and Bahia (-2.2%).

As for the cumulative index in the first four months of 2025, against the same period in 2024, the advance in volume of services in Brazil (0.2%) took place in 21 out of 27 FUs. The major positive impact occurred in São Paulo (3.4%), followed by Rio de Janeiro (2.6%), Santa Catarina (4.9%) and the Federal District (7.2%). In contrast, Rio Grande do Sul (-10.5%) recorded the most important negative influence on the national index.

Tourism activities advance 3.2% in April

In April 2025, the index of tourism activities grew 3.2% over the immediately previous month, after retreating 0.1% in March. As a result, the tourism sector was 13.2% above the level of February 2020 and 0.5% below the peak of the time series, reached in December 2024.

Eleven out of 17 places surveyed followed the expansion movement registered in the national tourism activity (3.2%). The most relevant positive contribution came from São Paulo (3.4%), followed by Rio de Janeiro (1.6%), Rio Grande do Sul (5.7%) and Goiás (10.8%). Conversely, Minas Gerais (-1.1%) and Santa Catarina (-1.3%) led the losses in tourism this month.

In the April 2025/April 2024 comparison, the index of volume of tourism activities in Brazil expanded 9.3%, the 11th consecutive positive rate, mainly leveraged by the increase in the revenue of companies that work in the sectors of air transportation of passengers, restaurants, hotels, and reservation services related to accommodation.

Fifteen out of 17 Federation Units in which the indicator is investigated advanced in services aimed at tourism, highlighted by São Paulo (10.1%) and Rio de Janeiro (20.7%), followed by Bahia (15.1%), Pernambuco (8.6%), Goiás (13.5%) and Santa Catarina (7.6%). On the other hand, Minas Gerais (-3.2%) and Mato Grosso (-7.0%) exerted the only negative impacts this month.

Considering the cumulative index in the first four months of 2025, the special aggregate of tourism activities recorded an increase of 6.4% against the same period a year ago, mainly due to revenue increases in companies in the sectors of air transportation of passengers, restaurants, and reservation services related to accommodation. In regional terms, 14 out of 17 places surveyed also recorded positive rates, highlighting the gains coming from São Paulo (6.5%) and Rio de Janeiro (14.0%), followed by Bahia (10.2%), Santa Catarina (10.5%) and Paraná (4.4%). Conversely, Rio Grande do Sul (-2.6%) led the losses in tourism, followed by Mato Grosso (-7.8%) and Minas Gerais (-0.2%).

Passenger transportation (1.8%) grew, whereas that of cargo (-0.3%) decreased

In the seasonally-adjusted series, volume of passenger transportation in Brazil expanded 1.8% in April 2025 over the immediately previous month, the third consecutive positive figure, a period in which it accumulated a gain of 6.8%. Therefore, that segment was 4.6% above the level of February 2020 (pre-pandemic), and 19.7% below that of February 2014 (peak of the time series).

In its turn, volume of cargo transportation fell 0.3% in April 2025, after a cumulative gain of 1.8% between February and March. As a result, that segment was 7.1% below the peak of the time series (July 2023). In comparison with the pre-pandemic level, cargo transportation was 34.8% above that of February 2020.

Compared with April 2024, passenger transportation rose 4.5% in April 2025, the eighth consecutive positive rate, whereas cargo transportation retreated 2.0%, the sixth drop in a row.

In terms of the cumulative index in the first four months of 2025, transportation of passengers increased 3.5% against the same period in 2024, whereas cargo transportation retreated 1.8% in the same period.