In February, the industrial production presented fall of 1.2% compared to the previous month, in the series with seasonal adjustment. In relation to February 2004 the growth was 4.4%. The accumulated index of the first two months of the year recorded increase of 5.2% and the indicator for the last twelve months was 8.6%, similar to the result of January of this year (8.5%).

From January to February, consumer durable goods was the only one with growth

The fall of 1.2% between January and February reached ten among twenty-three surveyed activities that have seasonally adjusted series, and three among four categories of use. In the analysis of activities, it can be mentioned the reductions in pharmaceuticals (-15.6%); food products (-2.2%); petroleum refining and alcohol production (-3.1%); and beverages (-5.6%). Among the activities that had the major performance in this indicator, stand out metal products (4.5%); basic metal products (2.5%); perfumery, soaps and cleaning products (6.2%); and rubber and plastic (1.6%). Reaching the record level of production, the segment of consumer durable goods reached the highest rate among the categories (11.8%), and was the only that indicated growth. This expressive index was registered after the decrease of 5.1% verified in January.

The production of intermediate goods was 1.2% lower than in January, a month in which it had already fell 1.4%. Hence, between last December and February, the production of intermediate goods fell 2.6%. Capital goods indicated decrease of 3.1% from January to February, accumulating a loss of 4.6% in relation to December. The segment of semi durable and non-durable consumer goods, after three months with positive rates, a period in which it accumulated expansion of 7.4% (comparison between January 05/October 04), registered a fall of 4.3% in February.

The monthly indicator continues positive since September 2003

In the comparison February 05/ February 04, the industrial production increased 4.4%. Among the surveyed industrial activities, twenty-two presented a growth and five presented a decrease. The performances observed in automotive vehicles (15.4%), electronic and communication material (20.4%), and machines and equipment (7.9%), were determinant for the total growth of industry. The major negative pressure came from petroleum refining and alcohol production (-9.2%), mainly due to the recoil in the production of diesel oil and other fuel oils, showing the effects of programmed shutdowns in some manufacturing units. The results by categories of use show a growth of 22.4% in the production of durable consumer goods, a rhythm considerably above the industrial average, followed by semi durable and non-durable consumer goods (5.3%). The production of intermediate and capital goods, with the same performance of 1.1%, remained below the national average.

Cars and mobile telephones are highlights in the growth of the first two months of the year

The accumulated indicator for the first two months of this year indicated 5.2% of growth, a rhythm lower than the one of the last quarter of 2004 (6.3%), both comparisons with the same period of the previous year. Among twenty-two activities with expansion in this first two months, the industries of cars (14.7%), edition and printing (18.9%) and electronic material and communication equipment (19.2%) presented the more significant influences over the overall result. The performance of the sector of petroleum refining and alcohol production (-3.5%) was the one with major negative impact.

In these first two months of the year, the production of durable consumer goods increased 12.6%, sustained, mainly, in the 14.2% of production increase of cars and in the 74.9% of increase in the manufacturing of mobile telephones since the behavior of household appliances was negative (-1.5%). The production of semi durable and non-durable consumer goods was positive in 7.5% in these two months with all the sub sectors recording increment. The highlight was the subgroup other non-durable (14.0%), where the items of major importance are associated with the industries of edition, printing, perfumery and pharmaceuticals. It can also be mentioned the indexes of food products and beverages for domestic use (3.3%), fuels (9.7%) and semi durable (3.3%).

Still in the accumulated indicator of the first two months, below the overall average are the categories of capital goods (3.9%) and intermediate goods (2.6%). In the first one, there was an increase in the majority of the sub sectors, specially capital goods for the following groups of industry: construction (37.6%), electric energy (17.8%), transport (13.6%) and machines and equipment for industrial use (6.3%). The result of the category only wasn’t more expressive due to the unfavorable behavior of agriculture capital goods (-26.7%) and of capital goods of mixed use (-1.0%). The increment of 2.6% observed in the first two months in intermediate goods is a consequence, mainly of the favorable results indicated in the elaborated industrial inputs (2.2%) and pieces and accessories for industrial transport equipment (11.3%). The only negative pressure came from the sub sector of fuels and elaborated lubricants, with recoil of 7.7%. It can be also mentioned the indexes verified in construction inputs (1.8%) and packaging (1.2%).

Quarterly moving average shows stabilization in the overall production

The trend of the index of the quarterly moving average presents a scenario of stabilization in the production in this beginning of the year, a level that is being observed since December 2004. The quarter closed in February showed reduction of 0.1% compared to the level of January and increment of 0.1% compared to December, presenting a scenario of stabilization in the overall production. In the analysis by categories of use, the evolution of this index, in the margin, presented slight reductions in capital goods (-0.7%, in the comparison February 05/January 05) and in intermediate goods (-0.4%). On the other hand, consumer goods showed increment, in the same comparison: 3.2% for durable and 0.9% for semi durable and non-durable consumer goods.