The sector of services grew by 0.7% from May to June, and recorded its second monthly increase in a row, with cumulative gain of 2.2% since March this year. As a result, the sector of services is 7.5% above the (pre-pandemic) level of February 2020 and 3.2% below the rate of November 2014 (peak of the time series). These are data from the Monthly Survey of Services - PMS, released today (11) by the IBGE.

Among the five activities surveyed, four recorded increase. Luiz Almeida, analyst of the survey, highlights that the transportation sector, with an increase of 0.6%, accounted for the main contribution to the result of June. “This month, the biggest positive influence came from the transportation sector, with a highlight to pipeline transportation, road transport of cargo and collective transportation of passengers. Transportation is 16.9% above the pre-pandemic level, and exceeded that level in May 2021, having remained that high since then. That is, there have already been 14 rates above the level of February 2020. At first, the sector was benefited by the increase of cargo transportation, due to the increase observed in online sales during the pandemic, generating an impact in the logistic chain and, later, the recovery of passenger transportation helped improve the sector.” 

Professional, administrative and complementary services, with an increase of 0.7%, were other highlights, with the increase of activities related to the organization, promotion and management of fairs, congresses and conventions; technical activities related to architecture and enigeering; engineering services; and private surveillance and security. “The sector accounted for the second positive rate in a row, with a cumulative increase of 1.8% in the last two months. This increase leads the sector to a level of 7.15 above the pre-pandemic level, with a continuation above this level since December 2021.”

The sector of other services recorded an increase of 0.8%, with a highlight to security brokers and administration of funds by contract or commission. The sector is at a level 2.0% above that of February 2020. “The path if this sector has been a little different fo support from that of the others, for its was not so affected throughout the pandemic, mainly due to auxiliary financial services, usually due to the flow of new investors. In August 2020 it was already above the pre-pandemic level and then fell agaon, recording a quite erractic behavior and different from the other groups,” Mr. Almeida says.

Services rendered to families recorded an increase of 0.6%, with a highlight to performing arts and performances, and also management of sporting facilities. “Although it is not the only sector below the pre-pandemic level, it has registered a trend to increase and approached recovery. Top result was that of April 2020 This is the fourth consectutive positive rate, with a cumulative increase of 9.3% after a cumulative decrease of 1.1% in the first two months of the year,” Mr. Almeida explains.

The only sector recording a decrease was information and communication (-0.2%), driven by Internet portals, content providers and other information services. According to Mr. Almeida, “the sector of information technology, this month, recorded a slight decrease, but has presented changes in level throughout the last few months, having reached its peak in May 2022.”

In regional terms, 10 of the 27 Federation Units recorded increase in volume of services between May and June, with the most important impacts registered by Rio de Janeiro (2.4%), Paraná (2.5%), Rio Grande do Sul (2.1%) and São Paulo (0.2%). On the other hand, Minas Gerais (-3.0%) accounted for the main negative contribution (-3.0%), followed by Amazonas (-5.1%), Ceará (-3.8%) and Pernambuco (-2.4%).

“In Rio de Janeiro, pipeline transportation, support navigation and engineering services usually related to the oil sector stood out.”

Services advanced 6.3% in the interannual comparison

In comparison with June 2021, volume of services increased 6.3% in June 2022, its 16th positive rate in a row. Four of the five activities recorded increase

Among the sectors, that of transportation, support services for transportation and mailing (9.8%) accounted for the main positive contribution, due to the bigger revenue generated by by road transportation of cargo, road transportation of passengers, maritime and port support navigation railway transportation of cargo. “That is the 17th positive rate in a row in this comparison.

The main influences came from services rendered to families (28.2%); professional, administrative and complementary services (8.0%); and information and communication (0.9%). The only negative rate in the month was that of other services (-4.7%).

In this comparison, 24 of the 27 Federation Units recorded increases. The main positive contribution came from São Paulo (7.9%), followed by Rio Grande do Sul (15.3%), Minas Gerais (7.9%) and Paraná (5.3%).  With opposite results, the Federal District (-6.9%) recorded the main negative figure in the month, followed by Rondônia (-6.2%) and Acre (-11.7%).

Services increase by 8.8% in the first semester of 2022

As for the cumulative index in the first semester of 2022, volume of services increased 8.8%. “The main impact also came from transportation, support services for transportation and mailing (13.9%), sfollowed by services rendered to families (36.2%); professional, administrative and complementary services (8.3%) and information and communication (3.0%). Other services accounted for a negative impact (-4.2%), Mr. Almeida says.

Tourism activities drop 1.8% in August

In June 2022, the index of tourism activities fell by 1.8% from May, after recording advances for three months in a row, a period marked by a cumulative increase of 10.7%. However, the tourism segment was still 3.4% below the level of February 2020.

According to Mr.Almeida, “the air transport sector drove tourism activities downwards, due to the rise of air fares in June's IPCA”.

In regional terms, seven out of 12 places surveyed followed the expansion movement. The main negative contribution came from São Paulo (-2.2%), followed by Rio de Janeiro (-1.2%), Federal District (-3.3%), Espírito Santo (-6.6%) and Pernambuco (-2.5%). Rio Grande do Sul (4.7%), on the other hand, acccounted for the main increase.

More about PMS

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 from services in formal enterprises employing 20 or more persons, in which the main activity is a non-financial service, excluding the areas of health and education. It produces results for Brazil and all the Federation Units. Results are available at Sidra.