The services sector increased by 2.4% from October to November, after two months of negative rates, having recorded a cumulative decrease of 2.2%. Considering the November result, the sector was 4.5% above the pre-pandemic figure, of February last year, but it is 7.3% below the record reached of November 2014. These are data from the Monthly Survey of Services - PMS, released today (13) by the IBGE.

“Recovery in the month of November places the sector at the highest level in the last six years, the same as in December 2015. Considering the latest 18 results released, in the month-on-month comparison, 15 were positive and 3 were negative: March, due to the second wave of Covid, and September and October, due to março, devido a segunda onda de Covid, e the rise of prices of telecommunications and air fares,” says the survey manager, Rodrigo Lobo. 

Four of the five activities surveyed advanced in November, with a highlight to information and communication services (5.4%), which made up for the loss of 2.9% observed in the two preceding months. As a result, the activity is at a level 13.7% above that of February 2020.

“In this activity, a highlight is the sector of information technology, mainly the segments of portals, Internet providers and other information services on the Internet; software development and licensing and consulting in information technology,” Mr. Lobo highlights.

The sector of information technology grew 10.7% from October to November, highest rate since January 2018 (11.8%), being 47.4% above the pre-pandemic level. Lobo explains that “after the most severe period of the pandemic, since June 2020, the sector recovered fast, having accelerated the pace of increase of revenue. These positive results are mainly a consequence of the dynamism of companies of the IT sector, which provide services to other companies.”

The second positive impact on thr November index came from transportation, with an increase of 1.8% and virtually made up for the loss (1.9%) observed between September and October. As a result, the activity is now at a level 7.2% above that of February 2020. “The highlights in the field of transportation were air transportation of passengers, mailing and road transportation of passengers,” Mr. Lobo informs.

With an increase of 2.8%, services rendred to families accounted fo the third positive impact in the month. “That is the eighth positive increase in a row, with a cumulative increase of 60.4%, but still not enough to get back to the pre-pandemic level. The segment is at a level 11.8% below that of february 2020,” says the researcher.

Other services grew 2.9% in November, making up for s small fraction of the decrease and 12.6% between September and October. The sector was influenced by the collection of non-dangerous residue, fund management agreement or commission and consulting in financial investments.

On the other hand, with a decrease of 0.3%, professional, administrative and complementary services recorded the fourth negative rate in a row, with a cumulative decrease of 3.7%.

In comparison with November 2020, volume of services increased 10.0%, recording the ninth positive rate in a row, with an increase in four of the five activities, mainly transportation and information and communication. “In this comparison, the effect of the lowe basis for comparison in 2020 remains,”, Mr. Lobo highlights.

In cumulative terms, from January to November 2021, the rate stayed at 10.9%. In 12 months, having increased by 9.5% in November, the sector kept the upward trend that stsrted in February 2021 (-8.6%) and reached the highest rate in the series that started in December 2012.

By area, 18 of the 27 Federation Units recorded an increase in volume of services between October and November 2021. Among the places with positive rates, the most important impacts came from São Paulo (4.0%), Rio de Janeiro (1.6%), Santa Catarina (3.7%) and Paraná (2.1%). On the other hand, Mato Grosso do Sul (-4.0%) recorded the main increase in regional terms./p>

Tourism activities increased 4.2% in November

The index of tourism activities increased by 4.2% from October, seventh positive rate in a row, a period marked by a gain of 57.5%. However, the tourism segment is still 16.2% below the level of February last year. “This index of tourism activities has a profile similar to that of services rendered to families, since many activities that form the indicator come from this segment,” the researcher says.

By area, eight of the 12 localities surveyed recorded increase. The most relevant contribution came from São Paulo (8.0%), followed by Rio de Janeiro (2.8%), Paraná (6.3%) and Minas Gerais (2.3%). On the other hand, pernambuco (-1.1%) and Bahia (-0.4%) recorded the main negative results in the month.

More about the survey

The Monthly Survey of Services produces indicators to monitor the short-term behavior of the services sector in Brazil. The survey investigates the gross revenue of services in formal enterprises, employing 20 or more persons, in which the main activity is a non-financial service, except for the areas of health and education. It produces results for Brazil and all the Federation Units. Results are available at Sidra.