Industrial output recorded growth for the third consecutive month, showing a positive change of 0.1% from February to March. During the period, the sector accumulated expansion of 3.1%. With these results, industrial production is 3.3% above the pre-pandemic level (February 2020), but still 13.9% below the record level reached in May 2011. The data comes from the Monthly Survey of Industry (PIM), released today (6) by the IBGE.

In relation to March of the previous year, the industry expanded 4.3%, after decreasing 0.7% in February and advancing 0.2% in January 2026, when it interrupted three consecutive months of decline in production: December (-0.1%), November (-1.4%) and October 2025 (-0.4%).

The quarterly moving average in March showed an increase of 1.0% compared to the level of the quarterly moving average of the previous month. The cumulative index in the year showed an increase of 1.3% compared to the same period in 2025. The annualized rate, an indicator that considers the last 12 months, increased 0.4%.

From February to March 2026, the four broad economic categories and eight out of 25 industrial sectors surveyed showed an increase in production. “Among the activities, the most important positive influences were highlighted by coke, petroleum products and biofuels (2.2%) and chemicals (4.0%), with the first marking the fourth consecutive month of growth and accumulating expansion of 11.5% in this period; and the second one offsetting the 1.5% decline seen in February,” highlights André Macedo, the PIM manager.

Other relevant positive contributions to the industry's total came from motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (1.1%), basic metals (1.2%) and machinery and equipment (1.0%).

On the other hand, among 16 activities that showed a decline in production, beverages (-2.9%) and electrical machines, appliances and materials (-3.9%) exerted the main influences on the industry average, with the first one interrupting three consecutive months of growth in production, a period in which it accumulated growth of 8.5%; and the second one stepping up the magnitude of the drop recorded in February 2026 (-2.3%). It is also worth highlighting the negative impacts reported by the sectors of furniture (-6.0%), manufacture of wearing apparel and accessories (-4.1%), food products (-0.5%), maintenance, repair and installation of machinery and equipment (-3.9%), pulp, paper and paper products (-1.3%), computer equipment, electronic and optical products (-2.3%), wood products (-4.4%) and rubber and plastic products (-1.1%).

Among the broad economic categories, still in comparison with the immediately previous month, durable consumer goods (1.7%) recorded the highest expansion in March 2026 and marked the third consecutive positive rate, a period in which it accumulated growth of 9.9%. The sectors producing capital goods (0.6%), intermediate goods (0.5%) and semi and non-durable consumer goods (0.4%) also showed positive results this month, with all of them pointing to the third consecutive month of increase in production, a period in which they accumulated gains of 6.4%, 4.1% and 2.4%, respectively.

Industry advances 4.3% compared to March 2025

In comparison with the same month of the previous year, the industrial sector registered an expansion of 4.3% in March 2026, with positive results in four out of four broad economic categories, 19 out of 25 sectors, 46 out of 80 groups and 55.6% of the 789 products surveyed. It is important to highlight that March 2026 (22 days) had three more business days than the same month in the previous year (19).

Among the activities, the main positive influences on the total industry were registered by motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (18.7%), food products (5.7%), mining and quarrying industries (4.7%) and coke, petroleum products and biofuels (4.2%), driven, to a large extent, by the greater production of automobiles, vehicles for transporting goods, car pieces and tractor trucks for trailers and semi-trailers, in the first one; frozen, fresh or chilled poultry and giblets, fresh or chilled beef, animal feed, frozen, fresh or chilled pork meat, ready-to-eat corn or cornflake-based food,  pork sausages and other pork meat preparations, refined soybean oil, concentrated fruit juices, cookies and crackers, wheat flour and yogurt, in the second one; crude petroleum oil and natural gas, in the third one; and diesel fuel, ethyl alcohol and aviation kerosene, in the fourth one. Other important positive contributions were made by the sectors of computer equipment, electronic and optical products (9.3%), other transportation equipment (11.3%), rubber and plastic products (3.9%), miscellaneous products (13.5%), chemicals (1.7%), furniture (9.9%) and pharmochemicals and pharmaceuticals (4.2%).

On the other hand, still in comparison with March 2025, among the six activities that showed a reduction in production, pulp, paper and paper products (-4.5%) exerted the greatest influence on the formation of the industry average, mainly pressured by the lower production of chemical wood pulps (pulp).

Still in comparison with the same month of the previous year, durable consumer goods (18.7%) recorded, in March 2026, a double-digit expansion, the most accentuated among the broad economic categories. The sectors producing capital goods (6.5%), semi and non-durable consumer goods (4.6%) and intermediate goods (2.9%) also showed positive rates this month, with the first two advancing above the industry average (4.3%) and the last one registering the most moderate growth.

“Having shown an expansion of 18.7% in March 2026 compared to the same month of the previous year, the sector producing durable consumer goods interrupted four consecutive months of decline and marked the highest positive rate since November 2024 (19.2%),” reinforces Macedo. This month, the sector was driven, to a large extent, by the increase in car manufacturing (38.9%). The advances recorded by brown goods (15.8%) and white goods (12.7%), motorcycles (34.7%) and the furniture group (11.4%) were also relevant. However, the main negative impact was recorded by the group of other household appliances (-22.3%).

The survey results can also be consulted on the Sidra database.

The next release of industrial production across Brazil, with results for April 2026, will be on June 3rd.

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