In September 2017, industrial output in the country recorded an increase of 0.2% against the August figure, in the seasonally adjusted series, after being 0.7% down in August.

In the seasonally adjusted series, against the same month a year ago, industry increased 2.6% in September 2017, after recording positive rates in May (4.4%), June (0.8%), July (2.8%) and August (3.9%). The industry sector recorded positive results both in the end of Q3 2017 (3,1%) and in the fist nine months of the year, both comparisons against the equivalent period in the previous year. 

The cumulative rate in the last 12 months increased 0.4% in September 2017, its first positive result since May 2014 (0.3%), and has remained on a downward trend since June 2016 (-9.7%).

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From August to September, 8 of the 24 subsectors surveyed recorded increase 

From August to September 2017, two of the four major economic categories, and eight of the 24 subsectors surveyed recorded positive rates. Among the sectors, coke, petroleum products and biofuels (6.7%) and food products (4.1%) recorded positive rates and reversed the results of the previous month: -1.5% and -4.8%, respectively.

Other positive contributions came from mining and quarrying industry (1.0%) and motor vehicles, trailers and trunks (1.0%), with the first one eliminating part of the 2.2% decrease recorded in July and August; and the latter, recording increase for the second month in a row, with a cumulative increase of 7.5%.

Among the sixteen subsectors which recorded decrease of output in the month, the most relevant ones were pharmaceuticals (-20.9%) and toiletries, soaps, cleaning and personal hygiene products (-6.1%). The former now records a decrease after two consecutive months of expansion, with cumulative increase of 7.7%; the latter reverses part of the increase recorded in the previous month (6.8%).

Othe relevant negative impacts were observed in the sectors of tobacco products (-15.5%), miscellaneous products (-6.0%), metal products (-1.6%) and leather articles, travel articles and footwear (-3.6%). Except for this activity, which recorded a decrease for the second month in a row and had a cumulative loss of 6.0% in the period, the others recorded positive rates last August: 17.3%, 4.3% and 0,3%, respectively.

Among the main economic categories, also in comparison with the previous month, durable consumer goods, having increased 2.1%, recorded the most significant expansion in September 2017 and contined for the third month in a row, with a cumulative increase of 9.6%. The segment of intermediate goods (0.7%) also had positive results in the month, after interrupting, last August, four consecutive months of increase in production, in a period of expansion (3.5%).

The sectors of semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (-1.8%) and capital goods (-0.3%) recorded negative rates in September, with two months of decrease and cumulative loss of 2.3% in the former; and, in the latter, decrease after five consecutive onths of expansion, in a period of cumulative gowth of 10.2%.

Quarterly moving average recorded positive change of 0.1%

Also in the seasonally adjusted series, the evolution of the quarterly moving avergae for the indusrty overall recorded slight positive change (0.1%) in the quarter ended September 2017 against the figure in the previous month, with a continuation of the positive performance observed since May 2017. Among the major economic categories, in the seasonally adjutsed series, durable consumer goods (3.1%) recorded the highest increase in the month and hs remained on an upward trend since March 2017.

The segments of capital goods (0.6%) and intermediate goods (0.2%) also recorded positive results in September 2017. The former recorded the seventh consecutive increase and cumulative gain of 10.7%; and the latter has remained on an upward trend since last May. The sector that produces semi-durable and non-durable goods (-0.1%) recorded the last negative result in the month, after three consecutive months of positive rates: 0.2% in June, 1.1% in July and 0.5% in August.

Industry increased 2.6% in relation to September 2016

Against the same month a year ago, industry recorded increase of 2.6% in September 2017, with positive results in all the four major economic categories, 18 of the 26 subsectors, 46 of the 79 groups and 48.7% of the 805 products surveyed (September 2017 had one day less than the same month in the previous year).

Among the activities, motor vehicles, trailers and trunks (20.9%) accounted for the main positive contributions to the overall average of industry, mainly due to the increased manufacture of cars, tractor trucks for trailers and semi-trailers, vehicles for the transportation of goods and car pieces. Other positive contributions to the national total came from food products (3.6%), coke, petroleum products and biofuels (3.9%), computer equipment, electronic and optical products (16.9%), mining and quarrying industry (2.2%), basic metals (2.8%), machinery and equipment (2.8%), dmaintenance, repair and installation of machinery and equipment (9.4%) and furniture (11.0%).

Among the eight activities which recorded decrease in output, the main influences on the industry overall were recorded by pharmaceuticals (-26.5%), other transportation equipment (-14.3%), other chemicals (-2.9%) and metal products (-5.3%).

Also in comparison with the same month a year ago, durable consumer goods (16.2%) and capital goods (5.7%) recorded the most significant economic categrories. Intermediate goods (1.9%) and semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (0.1%) also recorded positive rates in the month, both with increases below the national average (2.6%).

The segment of durable consumer goods recorded an increase of 16.2% in September 2017, the eleventh consecutive positve rate, but slightly lower than the figure of last August (18.6%). In the month, the sector was influenced by the increase in the production of cars (26.4%). Brown goods (19.3%) and "white goods" (10.9%) and furniture (2.3%) also recorded positive results. Motorcycles (-5.4%) and other household appliances (-4.7%) had negative results. 

The producing sectors of capital goods recorded an increase of 5.7% in the monthly index of September 2017, the fifth positive result in a row in this type of comparison, but not as  high as the rates of July (7.9%) and August (9.3%).

Intermediate goods recorded increase of 1.9% in September 2017, the fifth positive rate and the highest sincer last May (3.3%). The result of this month was mainly a consequence of the advance in products associated in the activities of motor vehicles, trailers and trunks (9.7%), mining and quarrying industry (2.2%), foo products (3.9%), machinery and equipment (10.5%), basic metals (2.8%), non-metallic mineral products (3.0%), rubber products and plastic material (2.1%), pulp, paper and paper products (2.4%), coke, petroleum goods and biofuels (0.8%) textiles (1.0%), where the negative contributions came from other chemicals (-3.1%) and metal products (-5.5%).

Also in this economic categories, the groups of typical inputs for civil construction (-0.3%) recoeded the 43rd consecutive decrease in this type of comparison, which was the less significant in this sequence; and packaging (2.5%), which recorded the second month of increase in output. 

Industry grows 1.6% in the period January-September 2017

In the cumulative index of January-September 2017, against the same period in the previous year, industry recorded an increase of 1.6%, with positive results in the four major economic categories, 16 of the 26 subsectors, 48 of the 79 groups and 52.4% of the 805 products surveyed. Among the activities, motor vehicles, trailers and trunks (14.8%) and mining and quarrying industry (6.1%) accounted for the main positive contributions to the overall average of industry, mainly due to the items: tractor trucks for trailers and semi-trailers, vehicles for the transportation of goods, trucks and car pices, in the first one; and iron ore, crude oil and natural gas, in the second. 

Other relative positive contributions came from computer equipment, electronic and optical products (20.3%), basic metals (2.4%), tobacco products (22,9%), machinery and equipment (2.8%), rubber products and plastic material (2.9%), manufacture of wearing apparel and accesories (4.6%) nd pulp and paper products (2.5%).

Considering the nine activities that recorded decrease of output, coke, petroleum products and biofuels (5.4%) recorded the biggest negative contribution to the industry overall, mainly due to the item diesel. It is also worth mentioning the negative results of pharmaceuticals (-7.2%), other transportation equipment (-12,5%), electrical machinery and apparatuses (-6.2%), non-metallic mineral products (-3.5%) and printing and reproduction of recorded media (-10,3%).

Among the major economic categories, the profile of results for the four months of 2017 showed bigger dynamism for durable consumer goods (11.7%) and capital goods (4.5%), due, to a great extent, by the increased production of cars (19.1%) and household appliances (10.3%), in the former; and of capital goos for transportation equipment (4.7%), for mixed use (17.1%), for construction (32.8%) and for agriculture (9.6%), in the latter. It i worth mentioning, in the two groups, the influence of the low bais for comparison, once in the period January-September 2016 these segments recorded decreases of 18.7% and 14.2%, respectively. Intermediate goods (0.7%) and semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (0.3%) also recorded positive rates in the cumuylative index in the year, however, with increases below the national average (1.6%).