(Updated on 06/15/2005 at 2:40 pm)

In April, industrial employment increased in relation to the previous month (0.6%), considering the seasonally adjusted series. The change occurred after two months of decline, that is, a period characterized by an accumulated fall of 0.4% (March 05/ January 05). The index of the month (April 2005/ April 2004) increased by 3.1%, the fourteenth positive consecutive result of this indicator. The accumulated index of the year was 2.7% and the index of the last twelve months, 2.9%.

The advance of 0.6% from March to April contributed to the stability of the quarterly moving average index. Among the quarters ending in April or in March, the change was 0.1%.

Industrial employment increased in relation to April 2004 in eleven of the fourteen localities surveyed

In relation to April 2004, hirings outnumbered dismissals in eleven of the fourteen localities surveyed, with the number of employees growing in terms of the impact over the national index, especially in São Paulo (4.9%) and Minas Gerais (4.6%). The industry in São Paulo reached its higher rate since the beginning of the historical series (December 2001), a result of the positive contributions from thirteen subsectors, principally those of food products and beverages (20.1%) and transportation (12.1%). Among the thirteen subsectors which helped increase the number of workers in the Minas Gerais industry, the main highlights were metal products (32.8%) and transportation (13.5%). On the other hand, the main negative effects on the overall index were a contribution from Rio Grande do Sul (-4.3%) and Rio de Janeiro (-1.3%), mainly because of the footwear and leather articles (-18.3%) and apparel (-9.7%) subsectors.

With reference to the whole country, the number of workers increased in twelve subsectors. The main contributions came from food products and beverages (9.6%), transportation (11.5%) and petroleum refinement and alcohol production (29.2%). Concerning the last subsector mentioned, the increase in employment can be explained as a consequence of a successful sugar cane harvest. Opposite to these results are those from the footwear and leather articles (-8.8%) and apparel (-3.2%) subsectors, the main negative contributions, in this case.

The increase observed in São Paulo (3.0%) and Minas Gerais (4.9%) greatly influenced the national index. The highest rates were Paraná (5.7%) and the Northeast and Central West regions (5.6%). Positive changes were observed in eleven industrial subsectors, among them food products and beverages (6.4%), transportation (13.0%) and machinery and equipment (6.6%). On the other hand, footwear and leather articles (-7.5%) and apparel (-3.8%) were the most influential ones on the overall results. In the analysis by area, Rio Grande do Sul (-3.0%) and Rio de Janeiro (-0.9%) were the only localities where there was a reduction in the number of employed persons.

The accumulated index of the last twelve months presented its highest result (2.9%) since November 2002. According to this indicator, industrial employment has been on an ascending trend since April 2004.

In summary, the quarterly moving average index shows stability in employment levels. In relation to 2004, the scenario is one of positive results in industry, despite the deceleration observed between the indexes from the period Sep-Dec 2004 (4.0%) and the period Jan-Apr 2005 (2.7%). The subsectors related to agroindustry and to automobile industry stand out as the main contributors to the increase of hirings, whereas the subsectors of apparel and footwear stand out as the main negative impacts on the overall rate.

Number of hours paid grew by 0.3% in relation to March

In April, the hours paid to industry workers presented positive variation (0.3%) in relation to March, for the seasonally adjusted series. The change for the remaining indicators was more relevant: 1.9% for the monthly index , 2.0% for the accumulated index of the year and 2.7% accumulated in the last twelve months. The average number of working hours decreased in all comparisons: -1.1% in the index of the month, -0.7% in the accumulated index of the year –0.2% in the accumulated index of the last twelve months. According to the index, the quarterly moving average tends to stability, with a change of 0.2% in the quarters ending in April or in March.

In the comparison with the same month one year ago, the index of the number of hours paid registered an increase of 1.9%, reflecting the positive performances of ten of the fourteen localities and nine of the eighteen subsectors surveyed. The activities responsible for the main positive contributions to the overall rate were food products and beverages (8.8%), transportation (11.8%) and petroleum refinement and alcohol production (25.6%). On the other hand, the main negative contributions came from footwear and leather articles (-10.0%) and wood (-7.6%).

Still concerning the comparison April 2004/ April 2005, the localities responsible for the most positive impacts were São Paulo (3.6%), Minas Gerais (4.5%) and the Northeast and Central West regions (5.0%). In São Paulo, the number of hours paid increased in ten of the eighteen subsectors surveyed. Among these subsectors, the most influential ones were food products and beverages (19.8%), transportation (12.7%) and metal products (7.5%). In Minas Gerais, metal products (28.4%) and machines and electronic/communication appliances (21.3%) stood out among the thirteen most successful subsectors. In the Northeast and Central West regions, the subsectors of food products and beverages (12.4%) and petroleum refinement and alcohol production (28.8%) represented the biggest positive impacts. The worst result was registered in Rio Grande do Sul (-6.7%), with the subsector of footwear and leather articles (-19.9%) still representing the most negative contribution.

The increase of 2.0% in the number of hours paid by industry, according to the accumulated Jan-Apr, was a contribution from eleven of the fourteen regions and nine of the eighteen subsectors surveyed. The places responsible for the biggest positive impacts were: São Paulo (2.1%), Minas Gerais (4.7%) and the Northeast and Central West regions (5.0%). The main negative effects came from the states of Rio Grande do Sul (-4.8%) and Rio de Janeiro (-2.0%). In terms of subsectors, the most relevant positive impacts were observed in the industry of food products and beverages (6.6%), transportation (11.4%) and machinery and equipment (5.1%). The subsectors of footwear and leather articles (-9.3%) and apparel (-3.6%) were the main negative contributions.

The index accumulated of the last twelve months shows a decrease of 2.7%, causing the number of hours paid to remain on an ascending trend since March 2004. In terms of subsectors, twelve activities showed growth, especially food products and beverages (4.7%). The main negative contribution came from apparel (-5.4%). With reference to other localities, São Paulo (2.5%) and Rio Grande do Sul (-1.6%) represented the biggest positive and negative impacts, respectively.

Payroll decreased by 2.3% in relation to March

After four months presenting positive rates , a period during which there was expansion of 8.0%, the real value of payroll for Brazilian industrial workers decreased by 2.3% in April 2005 in relation to March, not considering seasonal effects. Despite this negative result, it is observed that the quarterly moving average index remains stable (-0.1%) in the quarters ending in March or April. It is worth mentioning that this indicator remains at its highest level throughout the historical series.

The remaining indicators of real payroll still present positive rates in the main comparisons. In relation to April 2004, the increase was 4.0%, the accumulated index of the first four months increased by 3.8% and the accumulated index of the last twelve months had an expansion of 7.6%. In relation to the real average payroll the results were also favorable for the three types of comparison: 0.9% for the monthly index, 1.1% for the accumulated index of the year and 4.5% for the accumulated index of the last twelve months.

The real value of payroll grew by 4.0% in April this year in the comparison with the same month one year ago, a contribution from twelve of the eighteen subsectors surveyed. The biggest positive influences were observed in transportation (10.7%) and food products and beverages (9.4%). The most relevant negative contributions, on the contrary, came from paper and graphic industry (-7.0%) and non-metallic minerals (-7.0%). By area, the main positive contribution to the formation of the overall index was that of São Paulo, with an expansion of 6.2% for the value of real payroll. This result is mainly caused by two subsectors: transportation (12.6%) and food products and beverages (23.7%). Among the five localities which registered negative rates, the Northeast region (-3.1%) and the state of Rio Grande do Sul (-2.1%) stand out, due to the bad performance of chemical products (-13.8%) and footwear and leather articles (-16.7%).

The accumulated index grew by 3.8%, with a predominance of positive results among the localities surveyed (thirteen). São Paulo (2.9%) is the highlight accounting for most of the figures of general industry. In the São Paulo industry, the subsectors of transportation (10.9%), machinery and equipment and (11.1%) and food products and beverages (17.2%) stand out. On the contrary, Pernambuco (-1.7%) remains as the only location which presents reduction in the value of real payroll due, mainly, to food products and beverages (-7.7%).

Still referring to the same comparison, positive rates are observed in eleven of the eighteen subsectors surveyed; the highlights in this case are transportation (10.3%), machinery and equipment (10.5%) and food products and beverages (8.4%). The main negative on real payroll are paper and graphic industry (-7.4%) and non-metallic minerals (-7.8%).

In relation to the real average payroll, the index accumulated in the year, with expansion of 1.1% increased in seven localities and in nine subsectors surveyed. By area, the results observed in Minas Gerais (6.6%), Espírito Santo (5.8%) and Rio de Janeiro (5.3%) stand out, whereas in relation to subsectors, the rates more relevant intense in metal products (4.6%), apparel (3.8%), footwear and leather articles (3.8%) and machinery and equipment (3.6%).

The accumulated index of the last twelve months indicates increase of 7.6% in the value of the real average payroll, but there is still deceleration in comparison with the results observed since January, when the rate was 9.3%, changing to 8.7% in February and 8.0% in March.