Between July and August of this year, industrial production declined in nine of the 14 surveyed places, already considering seasonal influences...

In the evolution indexes per four months, the industrial sector increased 10.8% in the period May-August, in a slower rhythm than the 18.0% recorded in the first four months of the year, both comparisons against the same period of the previous year. This reflects not only the more moderate behavior of industrial activity in the last months, but the increased basis for comparison. In the regional indexes, this movement was observed in 12 of the 14 investigated places, with highlights being the reduced growth rhythm in Goiás, which changed from 26.6% in the first four months of the year to 9.0% in the second four-month period; Amazonas (from 32.7% to 16.1%); Espírito Santo (from 40.3% to 24.6%); and Minas Gerais (from 25.2% to 14.2%). The only two places that showed increases between these periods were Ceará (from 15.3% to 17.8%) and Paraná (from 11.6% to 23.9%).

Between July and August of this year, industrial production declined in nine of the 14 surveyed places, already considering seasonal influences. Paraná, with a decrease of 7.2%, exhibited the most significant decrease, influenced mainly by the technical interruption in the sector of petroleum refining and alcohol production. The following states had reductions above national average (-0.1%): Goiás (-4.8%), Rio Grande do Sul (-4.3%), Pernambuco (-4.0%), Amazonas (-3.0%), the Northeast region (-1.9%), Bahia (-1.7%) and Espírito Santo (-1.1%). Minas Gerais (-0.1%) showed the same result as the total of the country’s industry. Pará (2.4%), Rio de Janeiro (1.6%), São Paulo (1.3%), Ceará (0.8%) and Santa Catarina (0.1%) recorded increased production.

In comparison to the same month of the previous year, results were positive in the 14 surveyed areas. It is worth highlighting that August 2010 had 22 working days, one more than August 2009. Increases above national average (8.9%) were observed in Ceará (17.4%), Espírito Santo (15.0%), Pará (11.2%), Minas Gerais (10.9%), Rio de Janeiro (9.6%), São Paulo (9.4%), Paraná (9.1%) and Amazonas (9.0%). The other positive rates were presented by the Northeast region (8.0%), Rio Grande do Sul (5.4%), Pernambuco (5.1%), Goiás (4.6%), Bahia (4.4%) and Santa Catarina (3.8%).

The January-August accumulated indicator also showed a generalized growth profile in relation to the same period of 2009, with all places showing increased production. Above national average (14.1%) were: Espírito Santo (31.7%), Amazonas (23.8%), Minas Gerais (19.2%), Paraná (17.9%), Goiás (16.8%), Ceará (16.6%) and Pernambuco (15.6%). São Paulo, the most diversified and important industrial estate in the country, grew 13.5%. A strong presence of automobile industry (cars, trucks and spares), producing sectors of electronic products (household appliances of white and brown lines), and machines and equipment, besides activities associated to exported commodities (iron ore and steel industry) was observed. The other results were: Northeast region (13.3%), Bahia (12.4%), Rio de Janeiro (10.2%), Rio Grande do Sul (10.1%), Santa Catarina (9.4%) and Pará (8.5%).