Having recorded negative increase of 0.1% over the previous month (seasonally adjusted series), industrial employment remained stable in April 2011, similarly to March (0.0%). Also considering seasonal adjusted figures, the quarterly moving average index was virtually stable in April (0.1%), and presented almost the same results as in the two previous months: February (0.1%) and March (0.2%). Over the same period in 2010, the total number of persons employed in industry increased by 1.7% in April 2011; it was the tenth consecutive positive rate in this type of comparison, but the lowest one since February 2010 (0.8%). The index accumulated in the first four months of the year increased by 2.4%, result that is below the one recorded in the last four month-period of 2010 (3.9%). Both of these comparisons were made with the same period in the previous year. The annualized rate, or the indicator accumulated in the last twelve months, increased by 3.7%, but faced slight decrease when compared to the February and March indexes (both with 3.9%). The complete publication of this survey is available at

www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/indicadores/industria/pimes/.

Industrial employment increased by 1.7% over April 2010, and there were positive rates in 11 of the 14 areas surveyed. The highlights in the formation of the overall rate of industry were Paraná (5.4%), Northeast Region (3.1%) and Minas Gerais (3.4%). The most significant positive contributions in the state came from food products and beverages (11.7%), other products from manufacturing industry (15.8%), means of transportation (13.7%) and metal products (18.3%). In the industrial sector of the Northeast Region, the main contributions came from food products and beverages (3.2%), non-metallic mineral products (10.3%) and means of transportation (24.4%). In the industry of Minas Gerais, the main sectors were means of transportation (6.6%), food products and beverages (3.3%), metallurgy (6.6%) and metal products (6.9%). 

t is also worth mentioning the positive contributions from Rio Grande do Sul (2.7%) and North and Central West Region (2.2%), mainly affected by the bigger number of persons employed in the sectors of food products and beverages (8.7%) and metal products (12.5%), in the former, and communication and electrical-electronic machinery and apparatuses (29.1%) and metal products (28.1%) in the latter. São Paulo, on the other hand, recorded slight negative change of 0.2% and accounted for the main negative contribution to the total national rate; this performance resulted, to a great extent, from losses in paper and press (-19.3%) and apparel (-11.7%).

In terms of sectors, in the country, compared to the same month in the previous year, positive contributions came from means of transportation (8.1%), food products and beverages (2.5%), metal products (5.6%), machinery and equipment (4.1%), metallurgy (8.3%) and communication and electrical-electronic machinery and apparatuses (5.2%). Among the seven sectors which recorded negative results, the highlights were paper and press (-9.4%), apparel (-3.7%) and wood (-8.6%).

The index accumulated in the first four-month period of 2011 shows that the total number of persons employed in industry was 2.4% bigger than that in the same period last year, with positive rates in 13 of the 14 areas and in 12 of the 18 sectors surveyed. Among the areas, the most significant contributions to the overall average came from Northeast Region (3.1%), Minas Gerais (3.7%), São Paulo (1.0%), North and Central West Region (3.8%), Paraná (3.8%) and Rio Grande do Sul (3.3%). The only negative result was that of Ceará (-0.1%). In terms of subsector, in the country, industrial employment recorded major increases in means of transportation (8.2%), metal products (7.6%), machinery and equipment (5.8%), food products and beverages (1.9%), communication and electrical-electronic machinery and apparatuses (6.5%) and metallurgy (8.2%), whereas paper and press (-8.4%) and apparel (-2.8%) accounted for the main negative contributions. 

Number of hours paid is 0.4% lower than in March 

The number of hours paid in industry, in April 2011, decreased by 0.4% compared to that of the immediately previous month (seasonally adjusted series), after having recording 1.1% in February and -0.3% in March. As a result, the quarterly moving average index had a positive change of 0.1% between April and March, and represented the fourth positive rate in this type of indicator. 

Compared to the same month in the previous year, the number of hours paid increased by 1.2% in April 2011, representing the fifteenth consecutive positive rate in this type of comparison, but also the lower figure since January 2010 (0.0%). As a result, the index accumulated in the four first months of 2011 increased by 2.2%, at a lower rate than observed in the end of the first quarter of the year (2.6%). The annualized rate, the index accumulated in the last twelve months, remained on an upward trend in April (4.0%), but with lower results than in February (4.5%) and March (4.3%). 

In terms of the monthly index, the number of hours paid increased by 1.2%, with positive rates in 12 of the 14 areas and in 10 of the 18 sectors surveyed. In the analysis by sector, the main positive contributions to the total national figure came from means of transportation (7.0%), food products and beverages (2.7%), communication and electrical-electronic machinery and apparatuses (6,4%), machinery and equipment (4.1%) and metal products (4.5%). Among the eight sectors which presented negative rates, the most relevant contribution to the overall result was that of paper and press (-10.6%), followed by apparel (-3.7%), footwear and leather (-4.5%) and wood (-8.5%). 

Among the areas, also over April 2010, Paraná (4.3%), North and Central West Region (3.6%), Minas Gerais (3.0%) and Northeast Region (2.1%) accounted for the most significant positive impacts on the national result. In the industry of Paraná, nine activities recorded increase of the number of hours paid, being the main highlight food products and beverages (8.2%), communication and electrical-electronic machinery and apparatuses (33.3%) and other products from manufacturing industry (16.0%). In the North and Central West Region, communication and electrical-electronic machinery and apparatuses (34.0%) and metal products (35.4%) were the main influences, whereas in Minas Gerais, rubber and plastic (18.9%), mining and quarrying industry (9.3%) and means of transportation (6.0%) accounted for the most relevant positive contributions. In the Northeast Region, the most relevant contributions came from food products and beverages (4.4%), non-metallic minerals (8.0%) and means of transportation (26.4%). On the other hand, São Paulo (-1.0%) and Ceará (-4.5%) accounted for the tow negative rates in the monthly index, mainly due to the performances of paper and press (-21.1%) and apparel (-13.2%), in the former, and footwear and leather (-16.8%), in the latter. 

Considering the index accumulated in the first four-months of the year, the number of hours paid increased by 2.2% and faced deceleration in comparison with the results of the second (5.7%) and third (4.1%) four-month period of 2010; all comparisons refer to the same period in the previous year. In the formation of the April index, 13 areas and 12 activities surveyed recorded positive rates. By sector, the main positive results were those of means of transportation (7.9%), metal products (7.3%), communication and electrical-electronic machinery and apparatuses (8.2%), machinery and equipment (5.6%) and food products and beverages (1.8%), whereas paper and press (-9.3%) and apparel (-3.0%) accounted for the main negative contributions. Among the areas, North and Central West Region (4.9%), Minas Gerais (3.9%), Paraná (3.7%), São Paulo (0.8%), Northeast Region (2.1%) and Rio Grande do Sul (2.6%) were the most relevant to the overall average.

Real payroll decreases 0.8% in March 

In April 2011, the seasonally adjusted real payroll of industry workers decreased by 0.8% over that of the immediately previous month, after having increased for three consecutive months and accumulated expansion of 6.5%. With these results, the quarterly moving average index increased by 0.2% in April, the fourth consecutive positive rate and accumulated a 3.5% gain in the period.

Compared to the last year’s figure in similar periods, real payroll increased by 4.7% in the index of April 2011; it was the sixteenth consecutive positive rate in this type of comparison. Real payroll accumulated in the year’s first four-month period also increased, by 6.1%, at a lower rate than in the last four months of 2010 (8.2%). The annualized rate, or index accumulated in the last twelve months, increased by 7.5% and virtually repeated the results of February and March (both with 7.6%). 

Over April 2010, real payroll recorded expansion of 4.7%, with positive results in the 14 areas surveyed. The major contribution to the total national rate came from São Paulo (3.0%), mainly due to the performances of machinery and equipment (15.4%), means of transportation (6.9%) and rubber and plastic (16.1%). Other highlights are the positive impacts of Minas Gerais (10.0%), mainly due to metallurgy (17.0%) and mining and quarrying industry (18.2%); Northeast Region (7.2%), due to food products and beverages (17.8%) and means of transportation (28.0%); Paraná (8.5%), as a result of positive contributions from means of transportation (18.1%) and food products and beverages (12.8%); and North and Central West Region (7.7%), affected by the sectors of metal products (33.2%) and communication and electrical-electronic machinery and apparatuses (21.7%). 

By sector, also in comparison with the same month in the previous year, real payroll increased in twelve of the eighteen sectors surveyed, having been mainly affected by the positive results of machinery and equipment (11.8%), means of transportation (6.8%), food products and beverages (5.3%), rubber and plastics (12.2%), metallurgy (11.5%) and communication and electrical-electronic machinery and apparatuses (9.5%). On the other hand, the main negative impacts came from paper and press (-11.4%), chemical products (-2.7%) and apparel (-3.9%). 

In terms of the index accumulated in the first four months of the year, real payroll increased by 6.1%, with positive rates in all the 14 sectors surveyed. The biggest contribution to the national average came from São Paulo (4.6%), mainly due to the positive results of means of transportation (10.1%), machinery and equipment (12.0%) and chemical products (5.3%). Other highlights are the positive results of Minas Gerais (11.7%), Paraná (8.9%), Northeast Region (6.0%) and Rio de Janeiro (7.0%). In these areas, the most influential activities were mining and quarrying industry (18.3%) and means of transportation (16.6%) in the industry of Minas; means of transportation (21.2%) and food products and beverages (11.2%) in the industry of Paraná; food products and beverages (7.7%) and means of transportation (20.4%), in the Northeast Region; mining and quarrying (10.1%) and chemical products (9.9%) in the industry of Rio de Janeiro. 

By sector, also considering the indexes accumulated in the year, the real payroll increased of thirteen of the eighteen activities surveyed recorded increase, being the main highlights: means of transportation (11.3%), machinery and equipment (12.1%), food products and beverages (4.9%), metal products (8.8%), communication and electrical-electronic machinery and apparatuses (8.5%) and metallurgy (8.6%). On the other hand, paper and press (-8.9%) accounted for the most relevant contribution to the national index.