Decrease occurred in the adjusted series, in relation to August 2006.  In relation to September 2005, there was hike of 1.3%, accumulating growth of 2.7% in the year.

In September, the index of industrial production seasonally adjusted fell by 1.4% compared to August 2006, after two months of growth, a period in which it accumulated hike of 1.4%.  As a consequence, the index accumulated in the first nine months of the year was 2.7%, slightly below 2.9% accumulated until August.  The index accumulated in the last twelve months (2.3%) maintained the rhythm of growth in relation to August (2.2%). In the series with seasonal adjustment, there was hike of 1.3% in relation to September 2005.

With the reduction of 1.4% from August to September the level of industrial production returned to the level of June.  Twelve among twenty-three surveyed activities which have seasonally adjusted series contributed for this decrease.  Among the industries which reduced the production, stood out automotive vehicles (-9.3%), due, mainly, to strike in important manufacturers.  Also had significant negative influence: tobacco (-26.6%), other chemical products (-3.2%) and other transportation equipment (-11.8%), groups which had high positive rates in the previous months.  On the other hand, the main positive contributions were observed in electronic material and communication equipment (10.8%), in basic metallurgy (1.4%) and in pharmaceuticals (2.1%).

All the categories of use fell in relation to August and the one of durable consumer goods (-4.4%) had the most negative result, after growing 1.5% from July to August.  The production of capital goods and intermediate goods (both with -2.1%) broke a sequence of two positive results.  Semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods fell again (-0.2%), accumulating a decrease of 1.0% in the last two months.

In relation to September 2005, the production had hike of 1.3%, a rate below the one of August (3.3%) and July (3.5%).  It is worth noting that September 2006 had one less working day.  Fifteen among the twenty-seven surveyed sectors increased, and the major positive contributions were observed in office machines and computer equipment (47.8%), machines and equipment (6.0%), mining and quarrying (5.0%), food products (1.9%) and beverages (7.8%).  The most important negative results were observed in automotive vehicles (-4.5%), in other chemical products (-3.6%) and in apparel (-10.3%).

Still in relation to September 2005, capital goods (-0.4%) was the only category of use with fall.  In the others, the rates were: durable consumer goods (5.4%) and semi and non-durable consumer goods (1.8%), both above the average, and intermediate goods (0.8%).

Production is increasing for twelve quarters, in relation to the same period of the previous year

In the analysis by quarters, it can be observed that the industry is maintaining hikes for twelve consecutive quarters, in relation to the same quarter of the previous year.  In this third quarter of 2006 the increase of 2.7% shows acceleration, once in the second there was hike of 0.9% (table 2).  In the same comparison, all the categories of use and 21 among 27 surveyed activities show major dynamism among the indexes between the second and third quarters.  The activities which most contributed for this gain of rhythm were food products, which changed from 1.6% to 3.4%, and machines and equipment, which after falling 0.5% in the second quarter shows expansion of 5.3%.

Industry reaches the fourth quarter with hike, in relation to the previous quarter

In relation to the previous quarter, in the adjusted series (table 3), industry increased for the fourth consecutive quarter, accumulating hike of 3.0%.  In the categories of use, comparing the second with the third quarters of 2006, the segment of capital goods (2.6%) reaches the highest rhythm, at the same time that durable consumer goods, for the second consecutive quarter, shows the major reduction.  Still in this comparison, the sector of intermediate goods registers hike of 0.7% and the one of semi and non-durable consumer goods fell by 0.4%.

In the year, 21 activities increased

The index accumulated of the year (2.7%) shows hikes in 21 among 23 surveyed activities.  Among these,  the main contribution was registered by office machines and computer equipment (53.7%), followed by mining and quarrying (7.4%), electric machines, equipment and material (12.0%), food products (2.0%), petroleum refining and alcohol production (2.9%) and beverages (6.9%). All the categories of use increased especially durable consumer goods (6.3%) and capital goods (5.0%).  The production of semi and non-durable consumer goods (2.6%) accumulated a growth close to the average (2.7%), and the sector of intermediate goods (2.0%) was above the accumulated by the general industry.  Hence, in September there was stability in the rhythm of industrial production, since the quarterly moving average shows for the second consecutive month, the level of July.