From April to May 2010, the seasonally adjusted regional indexes of industrial production increased in six of the 14 areas surveyed...

From April to M ay 2010, the seasonally adjusted regional indexes of industrial production increased in six of the 14 areas surveyed. The most significant increase was that of Paraná (17.7%), what eliminated the decrease of 15% recorded in the previous month. Other positive rates came from Bahia (4%), Rio de Janeiro (2.8%), Northeast Region (1.6%), Pernambuco (1.5%) and Minas Gerais (1.1%). Santa Catarina (0%) remained at the same level as in the previous month. The regions facing the most significant production decreases were São Paulo and Ceará (both with -0.9%), Rio Grande do Sul (-2%), Amazonas (-2.2%), Goiás (-2.4%), Espírito Santo (-2.8%) and  Pará (-2.9%).

Compared to May 2009, industrial activity increased in all the areas surveyed. Besides the low basis for comparison, a consequence of the economic world crisis in the end of 2008, May 2010 had one more business day than 2009. With increase above the national average (14.8%), the highlights were: Paraná (31.3%), Espírito Santo (26.5%), Goiás (22.5%), Minas Gerais (22.4%), Pernambuco (22%), Ceará (20.2%), Northeast Region (19.9%), Bahia (17.9%), Amazonas (17.6%) and Pará (14.2%). The other positive rates ranged from 13.3% in Santa Catarina and 6.5% in Rio Grande do Sul.

The indicator accumulated in the first five months of the year was characterized by an overall profile of increase, with expansion of production in all the areas. With income above the 17,3% recorded for the country were Espírito Santo (37.3%), Amazonas (29.4%), Goiás (25.7%), Minas Gerais (24.5%) and Pernambuco (18.0%). It is possible to observe, from these results, that there is significant presence of car industry (automobiles, trucks and auto pieces), of sectors that produce electronic items (household appliances) and of machinery ad equipment, and of activities associated to exported commodities (iron ore, petroleum and steel industry). In the other areas, results were: São Paulo (16.5%), Ceará and Bahia (both with 16.3%), Paraná (15.6%), Santa Catarina (13.5%), Rio Grande do Sul (12.6%), Rio de Janeiro (11.2%) and Pará (10.3%).

Considering the indicator accumulated in the last 12 months, except for Pará, with negative change of 0.2%, other areas recorded positive rates in May. From April to May, national industry changed from 2.3% to 4.5%, with 2.2 percentage points more. This also happened in other areas surveyed, mainly Espírito Santo (from 5.7% to 10.9%), Minas Gerais (from 0.9% to 4.6%), Paraná (from 2.0 to 5.6%) and Bahia (from 4.1% to 6.7%) which recorded the major increases between the two months. 

Click here to see the complete commentaries about each one of the areas surveyeed (in Portuguese).