The services sector in Brazil registered a nominal growth of 8.6% in November 2013 when compared with the same month last year, below the rates recorded in October (8.8%) and in September (9.7%). Services rendered to families changed 10.5%, Information and communication services, 7.0%, Professional, administrative and complementary services, 7.8%, Transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing activities, 10.2%, and Other services, 9.9%. The nominal growth of the cumulative rate in the year and the cumulative rate in 12 months stayed at 8.5%.

The Monthly Survey of Services (PMS) is the first short-term indicator that investigates the services sector in Brazil. It encompasses the activities comprising non-financial business segments, except the sectors of health, education, public administration and imputed rent (value the owners would earn in case they rented the properties where they live). The complete publication can be accessed on page www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/servicos/pms.

The cumulative results in the year indicate that, in the last 11 months of 2013, the nominal growth in relation to the same period of 2012 stayed at 8.5%. Within this period, the segment of Transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing activities had the biggest growth (10.7%), with a highlight to Waterway and air transportation, growing 18.1% and 17.5%, respectively.  Services rendered to families recorded the second highest cumulative growth, with 10.3%, and Housing and food services grew 10.9%. Professional, administrative and complementary services registered a cumulative growth of 8.1%, Information and communication services, 6.9% and Other services, 5.9%.

The segment of Services rendered to families posted in Brazil a change of 10.5% in November over the same month a year ago. That was below the rate seen in October (12.6%) and above the rate of September (9.5%). In this segment, the highlights are Housing and food services, growing 10.2% and Other services rendered to families, changing 12.3%. In the cumulative series over the last 12 months, there has been a continuous growth since February, rising from 7.3% to 10.3% in November.

Information and communication services recorded growth of 7.0%, below the rates seen in October (7.9%) and September (8.0%). Information and communication technology services - ICT, which comprise telecommunication and information technology services, recorded a change of 5.6% and Audiovisual, publishing and news agency services registered a growth of 15.1%. The segment of Information and communication services represented 27.9% in terms of relative participation in the month, contributing with 2.4 percentage points (pp) to the composition of the general index.

The growth in Professional, administrative and complementary services stayed at 7.8% in November, in the comparison with the same month last year, against 7.3% in October and 9.6% in September. Technical professional services, which encompass intensive services of knowledge, grew 4.1% and Administrative and complementary services, which includes intensive services of labor force, 9.3%. With a relative participation of 19.8%, this segment contributed, in absolute terms, with 1.7 pp to the general index.

The segment of Transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing activities recorded a nominal growth of 10.2% in November, in the comparison with the same month a year ago, above October's rate (9.9%) and below September's (12.2%). Analyzing rates by modality, data reveal that the highest growth rates were registered in Waterway transportation (15.3%) and in Air transportation (11.7%), followed by Road transportation, with a growth of 8.1%. Storage services and support activities for transportation and mailing activities had a significant growth in November, 13.2%; it was the highest rate over the last 12 months. The segment of Transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing activities contributes, in relative terms, with 37.2% and with 3.2 pp, in absolute terms, to the formation of the general index.

The segment Other services presented a nominal growth of 9.9%.

In November, just Tocantins posted negative change

Concerning data by areas in November, Tocantins was the only Federation Unit to present a negative change (-1.7%) in relation to the same period of 2012. The greatest growth rates were seen in the Federal District (19.7%), Santa Catarina (14.5%), Paraíba (13.9%) and Mato Grosso (13.8%). Sergipe (1.1%), Acre and Amapá (both with 1.4%), Mato Grosso do Sul (4.5%), Rio Grande do Norte (4.6%) and Espírito Santo (4.7%) were the Federation Units with the lowest positive rates.

Analyzing the relative and absolute composition of the index of services by Federation Units, the highlights are São Paulo, with 47.6% of relative contribution and 4.1 pp of absolute contribution, followed by Rio de Janeiro, with 14.0% and 1.20 pp, and Minas Gerais, with 4.6% and 0.4 pp.

In the segment of Services rendered to families, among the selected Federation Units, the highlights are Espírito Santo (17.0%), São Paulo (15.1%) and Ceará (13.7%) with the highest growth rates in relation to the same period of 2012. The lowest rates were registered in Bahia (0.0%), Federal District (0.2%) and Santa Catarina (4.1%).

In the segment Information and communication services, the Federal District stands out with the greatest growth rate (17.7%), followed by Santa Catarina (15.5%) and Rio de Janeiro (10.0%). The lowest positive rates were seen in Espírito Santo (0.3%), Ceará (2.5%) and Pernambuco (3.8%). Bahia and Minas Gerais registered negative changes of -4.2% and -0.7%, respectively.

In regard to the segment of Professional, administrative and complementary services, the Federal District stands out with the biggest growth rate (23.3%), followed by Ceará (19.6%) and Bahia (14.8%). The lowest positive changes were recorded in Minas Gerais (1.8%), Espírito Santo (2.7%) and Rio de Janeiro (7.4%). Rio Grande do Sul and Pernambuco registered negative changes of -5.7% and -2.0%, respectively.

In the segment Transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing activities, the highlights among the Federation Units are Santa Catarina (17,9%), Minas Gerais and Pernambuco (both with 12.5%) and the Federal District (11.2%) with the highest changes in relation to the same month a year ago. The lowest changes were registered in Paraná (4.6%), Espírito Santo (6.9%) and Bahia (8.0%).

In the segment Other services, the greatest growths were seen in the Federal District (60.8%), Bahia (42.6%) and Goiás (28.5%). The lowest positive rates were seen in Paraná (6.4%), Espírito Santo (7.0%) and São Paulo (9.1%). Rio de Janeiro posted a negative nominal change of -5.2%.