In April 2008, the industrial production increased by 0.2% compared to March, in the series with seasonal adjustment. In the comparison with April 2007, there was expansion of 10.1%.

In April 2008, the industrial production increased by 0.2% compared to March, in the series with seasonal adjustment.  In the comparison with April 2007, there was expansion of 10.1%.  Industry increased by 7.3%, in the index accumulated in the first four months of 2008, and in the index accumulated in the last twelve months registered growth of 7.0%, showing a major rhythm of growth in relation to the rate of the previous month (6.6%).

The stability in the industrial activity, from March to April, showed a major number of sectors which expand the production (16) than those that contract (11), among the twenty-seven surveyed segments.  Among the industries which increased the production, the performance with major importance for the overall result came from petroleum refining and alcohol production (7.3%), which recovered, partly, the decrease of 10.0% of the previous month, due to a technical stoppage in one unit of the sector.  It is worth mentioning, the performance of pharmaceuticals (8.1%), automotive vehicles (2.3%) and food products (2.0%).  On the other hand, other chemical products (-6.7%), followed by beverages (-9.0%) and electronic material and communication equipment (-4.7%) brought the main negative results.

In the comparison with the previous month, in the indexes by categories of use, capital goods, with increase of 1.6%, was the only one which showed growth, recording a sequence of four months with positive rates, period in which it accumulated gain of 7.2%.  Durable consumer goods decreased by 1.9%, after a sequence of three positive rates, accumulating 8.9% in this period.  The sector of semi and non-durable consumer goods decreased 1.5%, changing the expansion of 2.6% registered in March, while intermediate goods (-0.2%) was almost stable in this comparison.

In relation to April 2007 the industrial sector registered expansion of 10.1%, major rate since October 2007 (10.5%).  It is worth mentioning in this result, the influence of one more working day in April 2008 (21 days), in relation to April 2007 (20 days).  In this index, the profile of growth was generalized reaching twenty-one among twenty-seven activities and 64% of the surveyed products. The major positive influences on the overall rate came, by order of importance, from automotive vehicles (28.0%), machines and equipment (16.6%), other transportation equipment (54.8%), pharmaceuticals (28.5%) and food products (6.9%). Among the six activities which decreased in relation to April 2007, the major negative result in the formation of the overall average came from beverages (-4.2%), followed by edition and printing (-1.7%) and tobacco (-3.9%).

The expansion registered in the monthly index of April (10.1%) surpassed the rhythm of growth observed in the first quarter of the year (6.4%).  It is worth observing that the difference in the number of days worked in April of this year is a relevant aspect in this result.  The acceleration between these two periods was observed in three among four categories of use, being however more significant in the segment of capital goods, which after increase of 17.3% in the first quarter, registered rate of 30.1% in April. In this trend stood out, mainly, the performance of capital goods for mixed use, with a rate that changed from 6.2%, in the period January-March, to 26.7% in April, and of capital goods for transportation (from 29.0% to 42.3%), influenced, respectively, by the major production of items associated to mobile telephony and manufacturing of airplanes.  The sector of durable consumer goods also showed acceleration between the two periods (from 13.7% to 22.4%) standing out, mainly, the expansion of automobiles, with a rate that changed from 20.3%, in the period January-March to 36.0% in April, followed by mobile telephones (from 25.3% to 37.5%) and white line household appliances (refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, etc...) (from 5.1% to 18.3%).  It is worth mentioning that the production of automobiles has been presenting a two-digit growth for twelve months and registered in April the highest rate since August 2004 (48.1%).  The segment of non-durable and semi-durable consumer goods also showed acceleration although in a more moderate way (from 1.2% to 5.3%), while intermediate goods maintained the same rhythm between the two periods (from 6.0% to 5.9%).

In the comparison with April 2007, the categories of intermediate goods (5.9%) and semi and non-durable consumer goods (5.3%) increased below the average (10.1%). In the first one, the positive highlights were products of the sectors of basic metallurgy (9.1%), automotive vehicles (16.3%) and rubber and plastic (14.7%), especially the following items: rolled steel products; axis and semi axis; plastic parts and accessories for the automotive industry and tires.  Also had positive results inputs for construction (11.0%) and for packaging (11.2%).  On the other hand, the performance of intermediate goods of the sector of petroleum refining and alcohol production (0.4%), with a rate considerably below the total of the category, and the decrease of intermediate goods of other chemical products (-0.8%) led to a less significant overall result of the category.  The rate of 5.3% registered by the segment of semi and non-durable consumer goods was influenced positively by other non-durable (6.5%) and food products and elaborated beverages for domestic use (5.0%), especially, respectively, the items medicines; and cookies and crackers. The only negative result came from the sub-sector of fuels (-1.2%), with decrease in the item gasoline.

The growth of 7.3% in the indicator accumulated in the four first months of the year, compared to the similar period of 2007, reached twenty-one sectors and four categories of use.  Regarding activities, the leadership remained with automotive vehicles (21.7%), followed by machines and equipment (12.8%). It is also worth mentioning the positive results from other transportation equipment (34.1%), basic metallurgy (8.1%) and other chemical products (6.9%).  In these sectors, the items which stood out were automobiles and trucks; equipment elevators/ merchandise transporters and plant centers; airplanes and motorcycles; steel slugs, blocks and ingots and rolled steel products; and herbicides and dyes and varnishes. On the other hand, the segment of office machines and computer equipment (-8.3%) brought the major negative influence, due to the decrease in the production of monitors and printers.

The analysis of the indicator accumulated in the year, based on the indexes by categories of use, showed that capital goods (20.5%) continued with the highest rate, followed by durable consumer goods (15.9%), both with performances considerably above the national average (7.3%).  The segments of intermediate and semi and non-durable consumer goods also increased, but with rates below the average (6.0% and 2.2%, respectively).

In summary, the industrial activity maintained in April the scenario of stability in high levels. The growth of 10.1% in the comparison April 2008/April 2007 was influenced by the difference in the number of working days; in this same comparison, the series seasonally adjusted showed a growth of 5.9%.  In the analysis of indexes by four-month periods, a sequence of fourteen positive rates was observed, with an upward trend since the beginning of the previous year.  In these first four months of the year, compared to the same period of 2007, industry showed an increase of 7.3% and maintained a rhythm similar to the third four-month period of 2007.