In April, the services sector in Brazil showed a positive change of 0.3% compared to the previous month (seasonally-adjusted series), after accumulating a loss of 1.8% in the first three months of the year. Compared to April 2018 (non-adjusted series), the volume of services decreased 0.7% - the second negative rate i a row in this type of comparison. The cumulative index of the year increased 0.6%. In the last 12 months, going from 0.6% in March to 0.4% in April 2019, it continued showing reduction in the growth rate seen since February this year (0.7%).

In terms of sectors, three of the five activites recorded increase in April against March, with a highlight to Information and communication services (0.7%), which recovered part of the loss (1.8%) of the previous month. The other advances took place in Professional, administrative and complementary services (0.2%) and Services rendered to families (0.1%). On the other hand, Transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing (-0.6%) and Other services (-0.7%) recorded negative results this month. See the support material for additional information. 

Also in the seasonally-adjusted series, the quarterly moving average index changed 0.3% in April against March, having remained on a downward trend since February 2019. Among the sectors, Other services (-1.6%) recorded the most significant decrease, followed by Transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing activities (-0.9%) and Information and communication services (-0.2%). Increases came from Services rendered to families (0.3%) and Professional, administrative and complementary services (0.1%).

In relation to April 2018, volume of services fell by 0.7%, with a decrease in two of the five activities and in half of the 166 types of services surveyed.  Among the activities, Transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing activities (-5.0%) accounted for the most significant negative contribution, due to the decrease in revenue of companies of road transport of cargo, air transport of passengers, airport operation and rail transport of cargo. The other negative result was recorded by Professional, administrative and complementary services (-0.8%), due to the decreases in revenue coming from companies of solutions in electronic payment, general cleaning, transport of valuables, management of intangible non-financial assets and private security and surveillance.

The positive contributions this month came from Information and communication services (2.1%), Services rendered to families (3.6%) and Other services (1.2%), due, to a great extent, to the increase in the revenue of Portals, content providers and other information services on the Internet and Custom software development and licensing, in the first sector; Hotels and entertainment companies, in the second; and Insurance agents, for complementary social security and health, and Administration of stock and organized over the counter markets, in the last one. 

In the cumulative index in the year, against the same period a year ago, the sector of services increased by 0.6%, with expansion in three of the five activities and in 48.8% of the 166 types of services surveyed.  Among the sectors, only Information and communication services (3.0%) accounted for the main positive impact. The other advances came from Services rendered to families (4.3%) and Other services (2.7%). Transportation, support activities for transportation and mailing activities (-2.5%) and Professional, administrative and complementary services (-0.7%%) accounted for the main negative contributions. 

RESULTS BY REGION

By region, between March and April (seasonally-adjusted series), the biggest part (19) of the 27 Federation Units recorded increase in volume of services.  Among the places that recorded positive rates, the highlights were Rio Grande do Sul (5.4%) and São Paulo (0.3%).  On the other hand, the main negative results were those of Espírito Santo (-1.2%), Rio de Janeiro (-0.1%) and Tocantins (-7.1%).

In comparison with April 2018 (series without adjustment), the decrease in volume of services in Brazil (-0.7%) took place in 19 of the 27 Federation Units.  The main negative contribution was recorded by Rio de Janeiro (-5.8%), with decrease of volume of sales in two of the five sectors: information and communication (-16.0%) and transportation, auxiliary services to transportation and mailing services (-3.0%).  It is also worth mentioning the decreases in Paraná (-5.0%) and Mato Grosso (-13.1%). On the other hand, the most relevant positive contribution was that of São Paulo (2.3%), which recorded an increase in five activities surveyed, the main highlight being information and communication services (11.4%).

The cumulative index in the year, against the same period a year ago, showed expansion of the volume of services in Brazil (0.6%), concentrated in the areas surveyed, since only 10 of the 27 Federation Units recorded increase in the real revenue of services. São Paulo accounted for the main positive impact (4.0%), in regional terms.  On the other hand, Rio de Janeiro (-4.8%) recorded the most relevant negative influence, followed by Paraná (-3.3%) and Mato Grosso (-6.5%).

SPECIAL AGGREGATE OF TOURISM ACTIVITIES

In April 2019, the index of tourism activities fell by 1.5% against the March result (4.7%). By area, nine of the 12 Federation Units surveyed followed that movement of decrease, the main highlights being decreases recorded by Rio de Janeiro (-5.6%), Santa Catarina (-11.6%) and Federal District (-9.5%).  On the other hand, the main positive contributions came from Rio Grande do Sul and Goiás, both with an increase of 1.1% and recording the second positive rate in a row.

Em abril de 2019, o índice de atividades turísticas caiu 1,5% frente a março (4,7%). Regionalmente, nove das 12 unidades da federação investigadas acompanharam este movimento de queda, com destaque para os recuos vindos do Rio de Janeiro (-5,6%), Santa Catarina (-11,6%) e Distrito Federal (-9,5%). Em sentido contrário, as principais contribuições positivas vieram do Rio Grande do Sul e de Goiás, ambos com expansão de 1,1% e emplacando a segunda taxa positiva seguida.

In comparison with April 2018, the index of tourism activities recorded stability (0.0%) after eight positive rates in a row.  The tourism services that accounted for the main positive contributions were car rental and hotels. The main negative influence, on the other hand, came from the segment of air transportation.  In regional terms, nine of the 12 Federation Units faced decrease, the main highlight being the Federal District (-14.3%), Santa Catarina (-12.8%) and Rio de Janeiro (-1.8%).  Conversely, the most important positive impact came from São Paulo (5.1%).

In the cumulative index in the year, the special aggregate of tourism activities rose 2.7% against the same period in 2017, leveraged, above all, by the sectors of hotel and catering services, buffet meals and other ready-to-eat food services. On the other hand, the main negative impact came from air transport of passengers. Regionally, only five out of the 12 places surveyed also registered positive rates, with a highlight to São Paulo (8.6%) and Ceará (9.4%).  The Federal District (-6.1%) and Santa catarina (-5.4%) were the main negative contributions cumulative in the year for tourim activities.