In relation to the fourth quarter of 2011, the GPD (gross domestic product) of the first quarter of 2012 grew 0.2%, considering the seasonally adjusted series. The greatest highlight was the industry, which increased 1.7%, followed by services (0.6%). Agriculture and livestock farming fell 7.3%.

In the comparison with the first quarter of 2011, the GDP grew 0.8% and, among the economic activities, the highlight was the rise in services (1.6%). Agriculture and livestock farming fell 8.5% and the industry remained stable (0.1%).

In the index accumulated in the four quarters ended in March 2012, the growth was of 1.9% in relation to the four immediately previous quarters.

The GDP in current values reached R$ 1,033.3 billion in the first quarter.

The complete publication is available at

https://www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/pib/defaultcnt.shtm.

In relation to Q4 of 2011, services grow 0.6%

The GDP had a positive change of 0.2% in the comparison with the fourth quarter of 2011. Industry (1.7%) and services (0.6%) expanded, but agriculture and livestock farming fell 7.3%.  The industry growth was supported by the manufacturing industry, which grew 1.9%.  Civil construction and electricity and gas, water, sewage and urban sanitation also registered a growth of 1.5% in relation to the previous quarter. Conversely, the mining and quarrying industries retracted 0.5%.

In the sector of services, the activities of public administration, health and education (1.8%), trade (1.3%) and transportation, storage and mailing services (0.9%) grew. Information services grew 0.6%, whereas other services (0.2%) and real estate and renting activities (0.1%) remained stable. Financial intermediation and insurance fell 0.8%.

From the expenditure perspective, the expenses with public management (1.5%) and household expenditures (1.0%) rose, whereas the gross fixed capital formation fell 1.8%.

As to the external sector, the imports of goods and services grew at a higher pace than the exports: 1.1% against 0.2%.

In the comparison with Q1 of 2011, agriculture and livestock farming fall 8.5%

In the comparison with the first quarter of 2011, the GDP grew 0.8%.  The value added at basic prices rose by 0.6% and net taxes on products, 1.6%.

From the perspective of production, agriculture and livestock farming fell 8.5% in relation to the first quarter of 2011. Some farming products, whose relevant harvest is in the first quarter, registered a downfall in the estimates of the annual production and productivity.  It is the case of soybeans (-11.4%), rice (-13.8) and tobacco (-15.9%). Corn and cotton presented estimates of production growth of 19.5% and 1.6%, respectively. 

The industry, decelerating since the second quarter of 2010, remained stable (0.1%). The manufacturing industry posted a drop of 2.6%, a result which was influenced mostly by the reduction in the production of the automotive industry, of the machinery and equipment industry, basic metals, rubber and plastic, electrical machinery and apparatus and apparel and footwear. But there was a growth in the production of house appliances of the white line and brown line, other transportation equipment, chemicals, paper and pulp, toiletry, cement and non-metallic minerals. In the other activities there was growth: electricity and gas, water, sewage and urban sanitation (3.6%), civil construction (3.3%) and mining and quarrying (2.2%).

The sector of services grew 1.6% in the comparison with the same quarter a year ago.  All the activities which constitute the sector registered positive changes, with a highlight to information services, which grew 4.1%.   Administration, health and public education posted an increase of 2.9%, followed by trade (1.6%), and transportation, storage and mailing services (1.2%) and real estate services and renting (1.2%). Financial intermediation and insurance recorded a positive change of 0.3%, whereas other services rose 0.5%.

Gross fixed capital formation falls 2.1% in relation to Q1 of 2011

Among the components of the internal demands, household expenditures presented a growth of 2.5%, the 34^th consecutive positive change in this kind of comparison. The growth is due to the real salary volume, which rose 6.5% in the first quarter of 2012. Besides, there was an increase, in nominal terms, in the loan balance with free resources for individuals of 16.1% in the same period.

The gross fixed capital formation fell 2.1% in relation to the same period a year ago, leveraged by the downfall of the internal production of machinery and equipment. The public administration expenditure grew 3.4% in the comparison with the same quarter of 2011.  

As to the external demand, the exports and imports of goods and services grew 6.6% and 6.3%, respectively. The exchange devaluation explains the highest growth of the exports. The goods that most contributed to this result were: textiles, basic metals, electric material, pieces for vehicles, chemical products and furniture. Among the imports, the highlights were steel, pharmaceutical articles, toiletries, renting of equipment and international trips.

In 12 months, GDP grows 1.9%

In the last four quarters, the GDP accumulated a growth of 1.9% in relation to the four previous quarters, a result which keeps the downward trend seen since the 4^th quarter of 2010. This rate is a result of the rise of 1.7% of the value added at basic prices and of the rise of 3.1% of the net taxes on products.  The result of the value added in this kind of comparison is due to the following performances: agriculture and livestock farming (0.8%), industry (0.7%) and services (2.1%).

Among the industrial activities, the highlights were electricity and gas, water, sewage and urban sanitation, with gains of 3.5%, followed by civil construction (3.1%) and mining and quarrying (2.9%). The manufacturing industry recorded a drop of 1.1%.

Conversely, among services, information services had a rise of 4.8%. The other activities also posted a growth: trade (2.5%), financial intermediation and insurance (2.4%), administration, public health and public education (2.3%), transportation, storage and mailing services (2.0%), other services (1.5%) and real estate services and renting (1.3%).

From the point of view of demand, household consumption grew 3.2%, followed by the public management consumption (2.3%). The gross fixed capital formation increased by 2.1%.

In the external sector, both good/service exports and good/service imports registered rises of 5.1% and 8.2%, respectively.

In Q1 of 2012, GDP reaches R$ 1,033.3 billion

The GDP totaled R$ 1,033.3 billion in the first quarter of 2012: R$ 876.3 billion related to the value added at basic prices and R$ 157.1 billion to the net taxes on products.

The investment rate in the first quarter of 2012 was of 18.7% of the GDP, lower than the rate registered in the same period a year ago (19.5%). This reduction was influenced mainly by the downfall, in volume, of the gross fixed capital formation in the quarter. The saving rate reached 15.7% in the first quarter of 2012 (against 17.0% in the same quarter of 2011).

In the first quarter of 2012, the need for funding fell R$ 2.5 billion in relation to the same period of 2011. The national gross income reached R$ 1,023.3 billion against R$ 943.9 billion in the same period a year ago. In this same kind of comparison, gross saving reached R$ 162.6 billion against R$ 163.9 billion in the same period of 2011.