In April 2013, the seasonally-adjusted industrial output recorded change of 1.8% over the March 2013 index. That was the second consecutive positive result in this type of comparison, resulting in cumulative increase 0f 2.7% in the period.  In the series without adjustment, against the same month a year ago, industry grew 8.4% in April 2013, having recorded the highest rate in this type of comparison since August 2010 (8.6%). As a result, the industrial segment closed the first four months of 2013 at 1.6% (cumulative index in the year), reversing the fall recorded in the last four months of 2012, with both comparisons against the same periods a year ago.  The annualized rate, cumulative indicator in 12 months, fell 1.1% in April 2013 and recorded deceleration of decrease versus figures of January (-2.06%), February (-1.9%) and March (-2.0%). 

The complete publication is available at www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/industria/pimpfbr/default.shtm.

17 of the 27 segments surveyed recorded increase in production

The expansion of 1.8% of industrial activity in April had a widespread profile of increase, reaching all the categories of use and 17 of the 27 subsectors surveyed.  Among the activities the main positive influences were recorded by motor vehicles (8.2%), machinery and equipment (7.9%) and food products (4.8%).  The first sector recorded 15.6% in the last two months of expansion; the second accumulated increase of 19.3% between January and April; and the third eliminated the loss of 4.5% observed beteen February and March.  Other relevant positive contributions came from editing, printing and reproduction of recorded media (4.69%), toiletries, sopas detergents and cleaning preparations (9.0%), cellulose, paper and paper products (1.8%) and other chemical products (1.0%).  Among the nine activities which recorded production decrease, the most relevant performances were those of beverages (-5.9%) and electronic material, appiances and communication equipment (-6.5%), which reversed the positive rates of the previous month:  1.5% and 0.6%, respectively. 

Among the categories of use, capital goods, up 3.2%, recorded the major increase in April, the fourth consecutive positive result, with cumulative expansion of 15.5% in the period.  The segments of durable consumer goods (1.1%) and semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (0.9%) also recorded positive rates, with the fomer having accumulated gain of 6.7% in two consecutive months of increase, and the latter having eliminated part of the decrease of 2.6% observed between February and March.  Producers of intermediate goods, with change of 0.4%, accounted for the most moderate increase this month, but also recorded the second consecutive positive result, with cumulative expansion of 0.8% in this period.

Quarterly moving average changed by 0.1%

Also in the series with seasonal adjustment, the quarterly moving average index changed by 0.1% in April over the previous month, after recording positive rates in January (0.5%), February (0.1%) and March (0.3%).  Among the categories of use, capital goods, having risen 1.9%, had the only positive results of the month and has remained on an upward trend since last December.  The segment of intermediate goods (0.0%) repeated the same level as in the previous year and has been stable since December. Producers of semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (-0.6%) and durable consumer goods (-0.5%) presented negative rates, and have remained on a downward trend since January.

Industrial production increased by 8.4% compared to that of April 2012

In comparison with April 2012, the industrial sector grew 8.4%, with widespread positive results, since all categories of use, 23 of the 27 activities, 58 of the 76 subsectors and 63.4% of the products surveyed recorded expansion in production. It is worth mentioning that April had two more business days (22) in 2013 than in the previous year (20). The subsector of motor vehicles (23.9%) accounted for the main positive contribution, affected by the increase of output of approximately 80% of the products surveyed.  Other relevant contributions came from machinery and equipment (18.1%), petroleum refining and alcohol production (11.7%), food products (7.7%), machine appliances and electric material (18.9%), rubber and plastic (13.3%), other transportation equipment (16.1%), other chemical products (4.2%), office machinery and computer equipment (19.5%) and medical, optical and other equipment (23.7%).  Among the four activities which faced output decrease, the main impacts came from mining and quarrying industry (-8.3%), editing, printing and reproduction of recorded media (-5.8%) and metallurgy (-2.1%).

In indexes by categories of use, also in comparison with April 2012, capital goods (24.4%) and durable consumer goods (14.9%) recorded increase, affected by the increment in production and by the low basis for comparison, since, in April 2012 there were decreases of 7.4% and 5.5%, respectively.  The production of semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (5.2%0 and intermediate goods (5.0%) also recorded positive rates this month, but remained below the average of industry (8.4%) in this type of comparison.

The sector of capital goods, having increased 24.4%, registered the fourth consecutive positive result and the highest since August 2010 (26.5%) in this type of comparison.  The segment was influenced by the increase in all its groups, being the main highlight the advance of 34.0% in transportation equipment.  Other positive results were registered by capital goods for mixed use (15.2%), for industrial use (20.7%), for electricity (18.0%), agriculture (28.7%) and construction (18.4%).

Durable consumer goods (14.9%) recorded the highest rate since February 2011 (17.6%), affected  by the bigger output of cars (17.6%) and for the advances in furniture (20.7%), motorcycles (13.7%), white goods (5.8%) and brown goods (13.6%) and other household appliances (20.8%).  The main negative impact in this category was the output of cell phones (-3.7%).

The sector of semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods, having increased by 6.2% in terms of the monthly index, reversed the negative rates of two consecutive months and recorded the most significant increase since September 2010 (6.2%).  This performance was influenced by the positive results of all the groups, especially fuels (16.1%), semi-durable goods (16.3%) and elaborated food products and beverages for domestic consumption (3.6%).

The sector of intermediate goods (5.0%), which also interrupted two months of negative rates in the comparison with the previous month, recorded the biggest increase since November 2010 (5.7%). The positive impacts came from products associated with the activities: petroleum refining and alcohol production (9.5%), rubber and plastic (13.6%) food products (9.2%), motor vehicles (10.0%), other chemical products (3.8%), non-metallic minerals (3.6%), textiles (5.5%) and pulp, paper and paper products (1.3%), whereas the negative influences were recorded by mining and quarrying industry (-8.3%), metallurgy (-2.1%) and metal products (-0.7%).  It is also worth mentioning the positive results which came from inputs for civil construction (9.7%), interrupting  two months followed by negative results and recording the biggest increase since February 2011 (12.2%), and of packages (3.7%), which had the fourth negative rate in this type of comparison.

Index accumulated in 2013 grows 1.6%

In the cumulative index for the first four months of 2013, versus the same period in the previous year, the industrial sector increased 1.6%, with 14 of the 27 subsectors surveyed recording expansion in production.  The subsector of motor vehicles (15.2%) accounted for the main positive contribution, affected by the increase of output of approximately 75% of the products surveyed.  There was influence of the low basis for comparison, since this sector decreased by 18.5% in the index accumulated in the first four months of 2012, due to the granting of collective vacation in several companies of the sector.  Other positive contributions came from petroleum refining and alcohol production (8.4%), other transportation equipment (8.6%), machines, appliances and electric material (8.4%), machinery and equipment (2.7%) and rubber and plastic (5.2%).  Among the four activities which faced output decrease, the main impacts came from mining and quarrying industry (-6.5%), editing, printing and reproduction of recorded media (-9.1%) and metallurgy (-5.7%).

Among the categories of use, the profile of results for the first four months of 2013 confirmed the biggest dynamism for capital goods (13.4%), mainly due to the bigger production of transportation equipment (27.4%).  Producer of durable consumer goods (4.5%) also recorded positive rates in the first four months of the year, affected by the bigger production of cars (8.7%).  These two categories, besides the acceleration of industrial activity throughout the year, were also affected by the low basis for comparison, once in the period January-April 2012 recorded decrease (11.9% and 10.1%, respectively).  The sector that produces intermediate goods (-1.1%) pointed to a somewhat less significant decrease than the average of industry (-2.8%), whereas the segment of semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods, with expansion of 0.7%, accounted for the only positive result on the index accumulated in the first four months of the year.