There was  increase of 0.6% compared to the figure in January 2010, in the seasonally adjusted series;  it was the second positive result in this type of comparison. Compared to the figure in the same month in the previous year, the rate was 0.7%, the first positive result since November 2008. Considering the index accumulated in the two months, there was slight decrease of 0.2%. The number of hours paid increased 1.5% from January to February 2010, in the seasonally adjusted series, reversing the negative result obtained in the previous month. Compared to the same month in 2009, the indicator rose 1.6%/ it was the first positive result since October 2008. The accumulated rate recorded in the end of the two-month period was positive (0.7%). Real payroll increased 2.7% in February, not considering the seasonal adjustment. In terms of the monthly indicator, there was expansion of 2.8%, whereas the index accumulated in the first two months increased 2.3%.

SALARIED EMPLOYED PERSONS

In February 2010, industrial employment increased 0.6% compared to the previous month, in the seasonally adjusted series. It was the second consecutive positive result, with accumulated increase of 0.9% in the first two months of the year. Also seasonally adjusted, the quarterly moving average indicated positive change of 0.1% among the quarters which ended in January and February and kept a sequence of positive results which started in August 2009.

Compared to February 2009, employment in industry increased by 0.7%, the first positive result since November 2008. However, the index accumulated in the first two months of the year was slightly negative (-0.2%) in relation to the one in the same period in the previous year. The annualized rate, the indicator accumulated in the last twelve months, remained on a downward trend (-4.8%), but with slight deceleration of decrease compared to the figure recorded in the end of 2009 (-5.3%).

In the comparison February 2010/2009, employment in industry increased 0.7%, with a bigger number of persons hired in nine of the fourteen areas surveyed. The main positive contributions to the overall result came from São Paulo (1.4%), followed by the Northeast Region (2.9%) and Ceará (8.5%).In the industry of São Paulo, the highlights were increases in the number of persons employed which came from paper and printing (20.1%), textiles (9.2%) and apparel  (4.8%), whereas in the industry of the Northeast and of Ceará the main highlights came from footwear and leather articles (20.1% and 24.9%, respectively) and food products and beverages (2.0% and 7.5%). On the other hand, the main negative contributions came from Minas Gerais (-1.2%) and Paraná (-1.4%), affected by the decreases of apparel (-25.8%), in the former, and food products and beverages (-4.3%), in the latter.  

By subsector, also considering the monthly indicator, industrial employment increased in ten of the eighteen subsectors surveyed, mainly paper and printing (8.2%), textiles (4.6%), food products and beverages (1.0%) and footwear and leather articles (3.2%). On the other hand, wood (-12.5%) and apparel (-3.4%) accounted for the main negative highlights.

Concerning the indicator accumulated in the first two months of the year, industrial employment was slightly negative (-0.2%), with decreases in six of the fourteen areas and in nine of the eighteen subsectors surveyed. Among the areas, Minas Gerais (-2.9%), Paraná (-2.0%), Rio Grande do Sul (-1.8%) and North and Central West Regions (-1.6%) accounted for the main negative contributions, whereas positive highlights came from the Northeast Region (2.4%), Ceará (7.2%) and São Paulo (0.5%). By subsector, the most relevant negative contributions came from wood (-13.4%) and apparel (-4.0%), whereas paper and printing (8.5%) and textiles (3.7%) were responsible for the main positive impacts.

NUMBER OF HOURS PAID

The number of hours paid to industry workers, in February 2010, increased 1.5% compared to the figure in the immediately previous month, in the series without seasonal adjustment, after having recorded negative rate of 0.3% in the previous month. Also in the seasonally adjusted series, the quarterly moving average index, after increasing 0.4% among the quarters which ended in January and February, has remained on an upward tend since August last year.

Compared to the same month in the previous year, the number of hours paid increased 1.6% and recorded the first positive result since October 2008. The indicator accumulated in the first two months of the year was also positive (0.7%), whereas the index accumulated in the last twelve months remained negative (-4.8%), but with reduction of the rhythm of decrease in comparison with the result in the end of 2009 (-5.6%).

Compared to February 2009, the number of hours paid increased 1.6%, with positive rates in twelve of the fourteen areas and thirteen of the eighteen subsectors. In terms of subsectors, paper and printing (8.6%), food products and beverages (1.8%) and means of transportation (4.9%) accounted for the main positive contributions to the overall average of industry, whereas wood (-13.1%), apparel (-2.6%) and chemical products (-1.0%) accounted for the most significant negative contributions .

Also considering the monthly indicator, the areas presenting the main positive highlights in the national result were: São Paulo (2.6%), Northeast Region (3.2%) and  Ceará (7.9%). In the first one, there was increase of the number of hours paid in eleven subsectors, mainly in paper and printing (21.6%) and textiles (9.4%). In the industry of the Northeast Region, footwear and leather articles (19.1%) and food products and beverages (3.7%) were responsible for the main positive influences. In Ceará, footwear and leather articles (23.9%) and food products and beverages (8.3%) also feature as the main positive highlights.

The index accumulated in the first two months of 2010 (0.7%) reflected increase in nine of the fourteen subsectors, mainly in paper and printing (8.8%), food products and beverages (1.8%), machinery and equipment (2.5%) and means of transportation (2.1%). On the other hand, wood (-13.8%) and apparel (-3.7%) accounted for the main negative contributions. At regional level, the main positive contributions came from São Paulo (1,8%), Northeast Region (2.4%) and Ceará (6.6%), whereas Minas Gerais (-1.6%), Rio Grande do Sul (-1.4%) and North and central West Region (-1.3%) led to the main losses. 

In summary, the indexes for industrial employment and number of hours paid were positive in February 2010, both compared to the figure in the previous month (seasonally adjusted series) and in the same period in 2009, in accordance with the movement of industrial growth observed in the first two months of 2010. It is worth mentioning that, even considering the indicator accumulated in the last twelve months, when rates remained negative, there was less intensity of deceleration compared to the end of 2009. This reflects, to a great extent, the bigger dynamism of the industrial sector as observed in the last few months. 

REAL PAYROLL

In February 2010, the seasonally adjusted real payroll of industry workers increased 2.7% in relation to the immediately previous month, having accumulated increase of 8.2% in the first two months of the year. With these results, the quarterly moving average increased 1.4% between the quarters which ended in January and February, after increase of 0.4% in January.

Real payroll increased 2.8% compared to the index in February 2009 and 2.3%, to the indicator accumulated in the first two months of the year. The annualized rate, the indicator accumulated in the last twelve months, remained presenting decrease (-2.5%), but with slight reduction of decrease of compared to the end of 2009 (-2.8%).

In February 2010, real payroll increased by 2.8% in relation to the same month in the previous year, with positive rates in twelve of the fourteen areas surveyed. The main positive contribution came from Rio de Janeiro (14.8%), and resulted from the advances observed in mining and quarrying industry (35.4%), means of transportation (21.6%) and metallurgy (25.1%). It is also worth mentioning the increase of real payroll from the North and Central West Regions (7.9%), due to mining and quarrying industry (30.9%) and food products and beverages (4.3%), and São Paulo (0.9%), affected by the subsectors of paper and printing (23.1%) and machinery and electronic machines and communication equipment (13.7%). On the other hand, negative impacts came from Rio Grande do Sul (-0.8%) and Minas Gerais (-0.1%), due, respectively, to the decreases observed in the sectors of footwear and leather articles (-10.7%) and machinery and equipment (-5.1%); and metallurgy (-21.0%) and paper and printing (-18.9%).

By subsector, also considering the monthly indicator, real payroll increased in eleven of the eighteen industrial subsectors. The main highlights were the positive contributions of mining and quarrying industry (15.1%), paper and printing (14.9%), machinery and equipment and electronic machines and communication equipment (9.0%) and food products and beverages (2.6%). On the other hand, metallurgy (-9.2%), wood (-11.8%) and machinery and equipment (-1.0%) accounted for the main losses over the overall average.

The indicator accumulated in the first two months of the year increased 2.3%, with higher real payroll in eleven of the fourteen areas surveyed. The main positive contributions came from Rio de Janeiro (11.3%), Northeast Region (4.2%) and North and Central West Region (5.2%). In these places, the main positive impacts came, respectively, from mining and quarrying industry (20.8%) and paper and printing (33.4%); footwear and leather articles (23.9%) and food products and beverages (4.7%); mining and quarrying industry (24.8%) and food products and beverages (5.2%). On the other hand, Minas Gerais (-1.2%) and Espírito Santo (-0.5%) accounted for the main decreases, being affected by the falling results of metallurgy (-15.7%), in the former, and machinery and equipment (-33.6%), in the latter.

In the analysis by subsector, twelve of the eighteen activities presented increase of real payroll, with paper and printing (18.6%), food products and beverages (4.7%), mining and quarrying industry (9.6%) and electronic machines and communication equipment (-8.8%) presenting the main positive contributions to the overall average. On the other hand, the main negative contributions came from metallurgy (-9.1%) and machinery and equipment (-2.5%).