In June 2015, the national industrial output negatively changed 0.3% over the immediately previous month in the seasonally-adjusted series, after registering an increase of 0.6% last May. Comparing with the same month a year ago in the seasonally-unadjusted series, the overall industry dropped 3.2% in June 2015, the sixteenth consecutive negative rate, though less intense than those reported in April (-7.9%) and May (-8.9%). As a result, the cumulative index in the first six months of the year for the industrial sector was also negative (-6.3%). Having declined 5.0% in June 2015, the annualized rate - cumulative indicator in the last 12 months - recorded a less intense drop than that reported last May (-5.3%) and interrupted the downward trend started in March 2014 (2.1%).

The complete publication of the survey can be accessed here.

Industrial Output Indicators by Major Economic Categories
Brazil - June 2015

Source: IBGE, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Indústria
*Seasonally-adjusted series

15 of 24 sectors surveyed decline in June

The drop of 0.3% in the industrial activity between May and June showed the predominance of negative figures, reaching three out of the four major economic categories and 15 out of the 24 sectors surveyed. Among the sectors, the main negative influences were registered in machinery and equipment (-7.2%), computer, electronic and optical products (-12.7%) and motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (-2.8%). Other important negative contributions to the overall industry came from the activities of electrical machinery and apparatus (-6.3%), basic metals (-2.2%), miscellaneous products (-7.2%), plastic and rubber products (-1.9%), non-metallic mineral products (-1.4%) and furniture (-3.8%). Among the nine sectors that increased the production in June, the most important performance for the overall average was registered by food products, which advanced 3.0% and offset part of the cumulative loss of 3.3% reported last April and May. It is also worth mentioning the positive impact coming from the sectors of beverages (3.6%), toiletries, soaps, detergents and cleaning products (1.7%), coke, petroleum products and biofuels (0.8%), pulp, paper and paper products (1.7%) and pharm-chemicals and pharmaceuticals (2.4%).

Among the major economic categories, durable consumer goods (-10.7%) and capital goods (-3.3%) recorded steeper declines in June 2015 than in May 2015, largely influenced by the reduced manufacturing of cars and household appliances, in the former, and of trucks, in the latter. The sector producing intermediate goods (-0.2%) also posted a negative rate in June 2015. Having advanced 1.7%, the segment of semi and non-durable consumer goods registered the only positive figure in June and accelerated the growth path in relation to last May (1.2%).

Quarterly moving average falls 0.4%

Still concerning the seasonally-adjusted series, the evolution of the quarterly moving average index for the overall industry declined 0.4% in the quarter ended in June 2015, against the level of the previous month, keeping the downward trend started in September 2014. Among the major economic categories, durable consumer goods (-4.5%) and capital goods (-2.9%) posted the steepest reductions. The sector producing intermediate goods (-0.4%) also registered a negative rate. Having increased 0.1%, the segment of semi and non-durable consumer goods interrupted the downward trend started in September last year.

Industrial output falls 3.2% in relation to June 2014

Compared with the same month a year ago, the industrial sector dropped 3.2% in June 2015, pointing to a widespread profile of negative figures and reaching the four major economic categories, 19 out of the 26 sectors, 48 out of the 79 groups and 55.7% out of the 805 products surveyed. It is worth mentioning that June 2015 (21 days) had one more business day than the same month in the previous year (20). Among the activities, those of motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (-10.7%), coke, petroleum products and biofuels (-6.4%) and machinery and equipment (-14.2%) exerted the highest negative influences on the industry average. Other relevant negative contributions to the overall industry came from basic metals (-7.5%), computer, electronic and optical products (-17.1%), food products (-2.1%), fabricated metal products (-6.8%), plastic and rubber products (-4.8%), textiles (-9.7%), beverages (-4.2%), pharm-chemicals and pharmaceuticals (-4.2%) and electrical machinery and apparatus (-4.3%). Still comparing with June 2014, mining and quarrying industries (8.1%) exerted the main impact among the seven activities that increased the production. It is worth highlighting the positive contributions coming from other transportation equipment (15.8%), pulp, paper and paper products (4.5%) and wearing apparel and accessories (5.5%).

Still comparing with June 2014, capital goods (-17.2%) recorded the most intense reduction among the major economic categories. The sectors producing durable consumer goods (-2.4%), semi and non-durable consumer goods (-2.4%) and intermediate goods (-1.7%) also posted negative figures in June, though less intense than the national average (-3.2%).

Cumulative industrial output drops 6.3% in first semester of 2015

In the cumulative index for the first semester of 2015, over the same period in the previous year, the industrial sector dropped 6.3%. Negative rates prevailed, since the four major economic categories, 24 out of the 26 sectors, 67 out of the 79 groups and 70.1% out of the 805 products surveyed declined their production. Among the sectors, the main negative impact was reported in motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (-20.7%). Other relevant negative contributions to the overall industry came from the sectors of computer, electronic and optical products (-27.8%), coke, petroleum products and biofuels (-6.3%), machinery and equipment (-11.3%), food products (-3.4%), basic metals (-7.5%), pharm-chemicals and pharmaceuticals (-15.8%), fabricated metal products (-8.8%), beverages (-7.0%), plastic and rubber products (-6.3%), wearing apparel and accessories (-10.2%), non-metallic mineral products (-5.2%), other chemicals (-3.0%), textiles (-8.9%) and electrical machinery and apparatus (-5.4%). Among the two activities that increased the production, the main influence was exerted by mining and quarrying industries (9.4%).

Among the major economic categories, the behavior of the results of the first six months of 2015 showed lower dynamism for capital goods (-20.0%) and durable consumer goods (-14.6%), particularly pressed by the reduction in the manufacture of capital goods for transportation equipment (-25.8%), in the first category, and of cars (-15.2%), in the second one. The segments of semi and non-durable consumer goods (-6.7%) and intermediate goods (-3.1%) also registered negative figures in the cumulative index of the year.