In August, the indexes of industrial production increased in the different types of comparison.  From July to August, the industrial production grew by 0.7%, after being seasonally adjusted.  In relation to August 2005, the increase was by 3.2%.  There was also growth of 2.8% in the index accumulated from January to August in relation to the same period of the previous year and of 2.2% in the indicator accumulated in the last twelve months.

From July to August, the growth was recorded by 15 among 23 surveyed activities

From July to August, in the series with seasonal adjustment, an increase of 0.7% was registered in the general industry.  This was the second consecutive positive result, which caused an expansion of 1.4% between the months of June and August of this year.

The increase observed in the rhythm of production between July and August was observed in the majority (15) of the 23 activities, which have seasonally monthly adjusted series, and three among four categories of use. It can be mentioned the favorable result registered in the sectors of other chemical products (3.7%), other transportation equipment (11.0%), automotive vehicles (1.1%) and machines and equipment (1.5%).  The most significant negative influences were observed in food products (-1.9%), pharmaceuticals (-5.3%) and basic metallurgy (-2.8%).

Still in the comparison month/immediately previous month, the sector of capital goods (2.8%), which supported the major rhythm of growth, indicated the second consecutive positive rate, accumulating a rate of 4.0% between June and August.  The sector of consumer durable goods (1.6%), which also indicated expansion above the average, changed three months of negative results, a period in which it accumulated loss of 1.7%.  The production of intermediate goods (0.7%) was similar to the overall average (0.7%), while semi and non-durable consumer goods (-0.9%) was the only one to register fall.

Even with the favorable performance of the industrial activity in August, the quarterly moving average index was stable (0.1%) in the comparison of the quarters closed in July and August.  In the analysis by category of use, only capital goods had an evident trend of acceleration (1.2%).  Durable consumer goods (0.2%) and intermediate goods (0.1%) had results similar to the industrial average, while semi and non-durable consumer goods (-0.4%) was the only category with fall between the two periods.

The monthly indicator registered increase by 3.2%

In the comparison with the same month of the previous year, the increment of 3.2% showed the positive performance of the majority (21) of the twenty-seven surveyed activities.  The major positive results on the overall indicator, by order of importance, came from: office machines and computer equipment (41.4%); automotive vehicles (5.5%); electric machines, equipment and material (12.3%); basic metallurgy (5.6%); and food products (2.3%). In these groups, the products with major influence were: personal computers and monitors; automobiles and accessories and parts for motors; transformers and electric equipment for alarm and signaling; aluminum oxide and unconnected aluminum in raw form; and crystallized sugar.  Among the six surveyed activities in decrease, pharmaceuticals (-7.9%); electronic material and communication equipment (-6.9%); and petroleum refining and alcohol production (-2.7%), were the ones that most influenced the overall index, especially due to the falls in the production of medicines and veterinary vaccines; mobile telephones; and diesel oil.

Still in the comparison with August 2005, the segment of capital goods had a higher rate (7.4%), supported on the increase in the production of the major part of the sub-sectors: capital goods for mixed use (8.3%), for industrial use (14.3%), for electricity (38.0%), for transportation (4.4%) and for construction (0.8%).  With a strong negative performance, the sector of agricultural capital goods (-31.7%) maintained a sequence of twenty-four consecutive months in fall.  The production of consumer durable goods was 5.4% higher than the one of August of the previous year, especially influenced by the favorable performance of automobiles (10.9%), since the production of household appliances and of mobile telephones fell respectively by 0.7% and 4.6%. In relation to household appliances, the main negative result came from the “brown line” (TV, radio and stereo, etc...) (-7.2%), once the “white line” (freezers, refrigerators, etc...) increased by 6.1%.

The production of intermediate goods increased by 3.4%, strongly influenced by the performance of the sub-sector elaborated industrial inputs (3.4%), segment of major participation in the category, where the items refrigeration compressors and cellulose stood out. It can also be mentioned the favorable performance of the sub-sector parts and accessories for capital goods (15.1%), showing the increase in the production of parts for computers, followed by basic industrial inputs (7.3%) and food products and elaborated beverages for industry (8.1%), where stood out, respectively, the items iron ores and crystallized sugar. The group inputs for construction (6.1%) indicated growth for the fourth consecutive month, while the group packaging fell by 1.1%.  The segment of semi and non-durable consumer goods increased by 1.2%, influenced mainly by the sub-sector food products and elaborated beverages for domestic consumption (2.2%), with the items soft drinks and beers bringing the major results.  It can also be mentioned the negative performance registered once more by the sector of semi-durable goods (-1.3%).

The indicator accumulated in the year showed expansion in the majority of activities

The growth by 2.8% of the indicator accumulated from January to August, compared to the same period of 2005 had a generalized profile including twenty-one sectors and all the four categories of use.  In the analysis by activities, the leadership continues with office machines and computer equipment (54.5%). It should also be mentioned the positive contributions of mining and quarrying (7.8%); electric machines, equipment and material (13.9%); petroleum refining and alcohol production (3.4%); food products (2.0%); and automotive vehicles (2.3%).  On the other hand, other chemical products (-2.1%), wood (-8.4%) and apparel (-6.1%) brought the main negative results.

The analysis of the index accumulated in the eight months of the year, according to the indexes by categories of use, showed positive results for all the groups.  Consumer durable goods (6.4%) led the growth, followed by capital goods (5.8%), both with performances above the overall average (2.8%).  The  segment of consumer semi and non-durable goods increased by 2.6%, and intermediate goods, by 2.2%. The factors which supported the industrial rhythm during the year were: high exporting performance in some producing sectors of commodities; increase of the automobile production, influenced, mainly, by the evolution of the domestic demand; growth of the production of capital goods, especially in the segments of computer and electric equipment; and the positive performance of the groups more related to the evolution of the overall wages (beverages, pharmaceuticals, construction).  On the other hand, the most important decreases came from semi-durables (footwear and clothing) and in the industry of wood.
In summary, the results of August reinforce the signals of slight recovery in the rhythm of industrial growth, showing the second consecutive month of increase in the seasonally adjusted series.  According to the quarterly moving average, after the fifth consecutive month of growth, the industry accumulates a growth of 1.3% of expansion. Among the categories of use, in this same period of comparison, it can be observed expansion in capital goods (2.3%) and in intermediate goods (1.9%), and stability in semi and non-durable consumer goods (0.0%).  The segment of consumer durable goods (-1.7%) shows a trend of deceleration among the quarters closed between March and August.

Additional information about the Monthly Industrial Survey can be found in the website www.ibge.gov.br