The expansion of the industrial output from March to April, in the seasonally adjusted series, was also observed in terms of the areas, once nine out of the 14 places surveyed increased the production. The most significant increases were recorded in Minas Gerais (2.8%), Bahia (2.5%) and Pernambuco (2.3%), which registered the second positive figure in a row, a cumulative expansion of 6.9%, 3.3% and 5.2%, respectively. The Northeast Region (1.2%), São Paulo (1.0%), Espírito Santo (0.7%), Santa Catarina (0.2%), Rio Grande do Sul (0.2%) and Paraná (0.1%) also recorded positive rates, though lower than the national average (1.8%). Ceará (0.0%) remained stable for the second month in a row, whereas Pará (-1.4%), Goiás (-1.2%), Rio de Janeiro (-0.4%) and Amazonas (-0.4%) registered negative figures. The complete publication of this survey can be accessed at www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/indicadores/industria/pimpfregional/.

In the cumulative indicator of the first four months of the year, the overall industry expanded in nine out of 14 places surveyed, six of them above the overall average (1.6%): Rio de Janeiro (6.1%), Bahia (4.9%), São Paulo (3.0%), Rio Grande do Sul (3.0%), Ceará (2.9%) and Goiás (2.1%). Amazonas (1.4%) and the Northeast Region (1.2%) also recorded positive rates, whereas Santa Catarina (0.0%) remained stable in the cumulative index of the first four months of 2013. The bigger dynamism in these places was particularly influenced by the increasing manufacturing of capital goods (especially trucks and tractor trucks) and durable consumer goods (cars), as well as by the increasing production in the sectors of petroleum refining and alcohol production, food products, textiles and leather articles and footwear. Espírito Santo (-10.6%) and Pará (-8.5%) registered the biggest losses, reflecting the decreasing production in the sectors of basic metals, food products and beverages, and pulp, paper and paper products, in the former, and of mining and quarrying industries and basic metals, in the latter. Paraná (-1.6%), Minas Gerais (-1.0%) and Pernambuco (-0.9%) also recorded negative figures.

By declining 1.1% in April 2013, the annualized rate, cumulative index in the last 12 months, reduced the falling pace against the figures of January (-2.0%), February (-1.9%) and March (-2.0%). In terms of areas, nine out of the 14 places surveyed also registered negative rates in April this year, though 11 recorded a bigger dynamism over last March, highlighted by Amazonas, which changed from 6.9% to -5.3%, Rio Grande do Sul (from -4.6% to -3.3%), Rio de Janeiro (from -1.9% to -0.6%), Bahia (from 2.9% to 4.1%) and São Paulo (from -2.4% to -1.2%).

In the seasonally adjusted series, the quarterly moving average index changed 0.1% in the quarter ended in April over the previous month, after also recording positive rates in January (0.5%), February (0.1%) and March (0.3%). In terms of areas, still in relation to the movement of this index on the margin, seven out of 14 places registered positive rates, highlighted by Paraná (1.4%), Rio Grande do Sul (0.6%) and Pernambuco (0.6%). Pará (-2.8%), Ceará (-1.7%) and Minas Gerais (-1.7%) recorded the most significant losses this month.

In the comparison with the same month a year ago, the overall industrial sector advanced 8.4% in April 2013, registering positive figures in the majority of the areas, once 12 out of the 14 places surveyed expanded the production. April 2013 (22 days) had two more working days than the same month in the previous year (20). In this month, the most significant positive rates were recorded in Bahia (13.5%), Rio Grande do Sul (11.2%) and São Paulo (10.7%), leveraged by the positive behavior of the sectors of petroleum refining and alcohol production (diesel fuel and automotive gasoline), chemical products (thermoplastic resins) and pulp, paper and paper products (pulp), in the first place, petroleum refining and alcohol production (diesel fuel and automotive gasoline) and tobacco (processed tobacco), in the second, and motor vehicles (tractor trucks and trucks), pharmaceuticals (medicines) and food products (crystallized sugar), in the last. Amazonas (9.6%), Paraná (8.7%), the Northeast Region (8.5%), Ceará (8.2%), Goiás (8.2%), Rio de Janeiro (7.4%), Santa Catarina (7.1%), Pernambuco (4.9%) and Minas Gerais (1.8%) were the other places that registered positive rates this month. Pará (-16.2%) and Espírito Santo (-8.0%) accounted for the negative figures in the monthly index of April, respectively influenced by the contraction of mining and quarrying industries (iron ores) and basic metals (carbon steel ingots, blocks, rods or plates).