In October, the services sector recorded a nominal growth of 5.2%, in the comparison with the same month...

In October, the services sector recorded a nominal growth of 5.2%, in the comparison with the same month a year ago - below the rate seen in September (6.4%) and above August's rate (4.5%). Services rendered to families grew 6.8%; Communication and information services, 2.1%; Professional, administrative and complementary services, 11.3%; Transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing activities, 3.1%; and Other services, 11.5%. The cumulative rates in the year and in 12 months were 6.5% and 6.8%, respectively.

The Monthly Survey of Services (PMS), first monthly short-term indicator investigating the services sector in the country, encompasses the non-financial business segment, except the sectors of health, education, public management and imputed rent (value the owners would earn in case they rented the properties where they live). The complete publication of the survey can be seen at www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/servicos/pms/default.shtm.

The 3.1% result recorded in transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing activities (below the rates of 6.5% in September and 3.2% in August) combined with the 2.1% result of information and communication services (below the 2.7% rate in September and higher than the 1.7% result of August) were the factors that most contributed to the inferior result of October over September. Transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing activities, weighting 30.7%, reduced their relative contribution from 32.8% to 19.2%, and information and communication services, which have more weight in the formation of the global rate of PMS (35.7%), also registered reduction in the relative composition of the global rate, moving from 14.1% in September to 13.5% in October.  

The segment of Services rendered to families recorded a change of 6.8% in October over the same month a year ago, below the rates seen in September (7.7%) and August (9.0%). Lodging and food services registered a 8.5% growth and Other services rendered to families changed -3.5%. Such drop is due basically to the reduction, in relation to October 2013, of the services that promote cultural events, involving artistic and creative activities, as well as shows. Services rendered to families contributed with 0.5 p.p. and 9.6% in terms of absolute and relative composition, respectively, of the overall index.

Information and communication services recorded growth of 2.1% in October, below the rate of September (2.7%) and above that of August (1.7%). Information and communication technology services - ICT recorded a change of 2.7%, and Audiovisual, publishing and news agency services registered a negative change of -1.6%. It is worth mentioning that these reductions are, to a great extent, due to broadcast television activities and to edition services and printing and associated services, which accounted, in October, for 75.0% of the segment audiovisual, publishing and news agency services. The segment of information and communication services represented 0.7 p.p. in terms of absolute participation and 13.5% in terms of relative composition of the overall index.

The growth of the Professional, administrative and complementary services stayed at 11.3% in October, above the changes in September (11.0%) and August (7.7%). Technical professional services, which encompass intensive services of knowledge, grew 5.1% and Administrative and complementary services, which includes intensive services of labor force, 13.6%. The change in the administrative and complementary services had a significant contribution coming from security and surveillance services, cleaning services for buildings and houses and payment management (funds transfer). With an absolute share of 2.3 p.p., this segment contributed, in relative terms, with 44.2% to composition of the overall index.

The segment of Transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing activities recorded a nominal growth of 3.1%, below September's rate (6.5%) and August's result (3.2%). Concerning modes of transportation, the results were: road transportation, 2.6%, waterway transportation, 3.9%; and air transportation, 0.3%. Storage services and support activities for transportation and mailing activities registered a growth of 4.9%. The segment of Transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing activities contributed, in absolute terms, with 1.0 pp and 19.2%, in relative terms, to the formation of the overall index.

The segment Other services presented a nominal growth of 11.5%, higher than September's (9.0%) and August's rates (10.6%). This segment contributed, in relative terms, with 13.5%, and with 0.7 p.p., in absolute terms, to the formation of the overall index.

In October, four states present negative rates

Regionally, in October, the highest changes occurred in Ceará (13.4%), in the Federal District (12.0%) and in Paraíba (11.0%). The lowest positive growth changes were recorded in Mato Grosso do Sul (0.9%), Pernambuco (1.4%) and Minas Gerais (1.7%). On the other hand, Amapá (-6.3%), Roraima (-4.7%), Sergipe (-4.5%) and Mato Grosso (-1.2%) recorded negative changes.