With a 2.4% decrease in national industry from February to March, in the seasonally adjusted series, nine of the 15 areas surveyed by the IBGE recorded negstive rates. The most significant decreases took place in Ceará (-15.5%), Rio Grande do Sul (-7.3%) and Bahia (-6.2%). Amazonas (7.8%) registered the main increases. As for the quarterly moving average, 10 of the 15 areas surveyed had negative rates in the quarter ended March, with main decreases in Ceará (-7.8%), Bahia (-6.0%) and Northeast Region (-2.8%).

Cumulative index in 12 months fell in 10 of the 15 areas surveyed.

In the seasonally adjusted series, nine of the 15 areas surveyed recorded negative rates. Ceará (-15.5%), Rio Grande do Sul (-7.3%) and Bahia (-6.2%) accounted for the most significant decreases, with the first one recording a two-digit decline and the main loss since April 2020 (-35.2%); the second intensified the decrease of 2.1% observed in the previous month; and the last one recorded the fourth consecutive negative rate in the period, with a decrease of 20.2%. Rio de Janeiro (-4.7%), Northeast Region (-4.2%) and Pernambuco (-2.8%) were also below the national average (-2.4%), whereas Mato Grosso (-2.0%), Santa Catarina (-1.0%) and Paraná (-1.0%) completed the group of area with negative indexes in March 2021.

On the other hand, Amazonas (7.8%) recorded the main increase, interrupting three months of decrease, when there was a cumulative decrease of 16.6%. Other positive results were those of Pará (2.1%), Minas Gerais (1.7%), Goiás (1.6%), Espírito Santo (1.5%) and São Paulo (0.6%).

The quarterly moving averagerecorded a decrease of 1% in the quarter ended March 2021 versus the result in the previous year, interrupting the predomnantly upward trend initiated in June 2020. There were negative rates in ten of the 15 areas surveyed, with a highlight to Ceará (-7.8%), Bahia (-6.0%), Northeast Region (-2.8%), Rio Grande do Sul (-2.5%), Amazonas (-2.0%) and Espírito Santo (-1.3%). On the other hand, the main advaces were those of Mato Grosso (1.2%) and Goiás (0.9%).

In comparison with March 2020, there was an increase of 10.5% in March 2021, with ten of the 15 areas surveyed recording decreases. It is worth mentioning that March 2021 had 23 business days, one day more than in March 2020.

Santa Catarina (36.5%), Amazonas (22.5%) and Rio Grande do Sul (21.0%) recorded the most significant increases. São Paulo (16.0%), Minas Gerais (12.5%) and Paraná (12.3%) also registered increases above the average of industry (10.5%), whereas Ceará (9.9%), Pará (8.1%), Pernambuco (7.0%) and Goiás (0.4%) completed the group of areas with positive indexes in March 2021.

On the other hand, Bahia (-18.3%) recorded the most significant decrease in March 2021. Rio de Janeiro (-4.8%), Northeast Region (2.7%), Mato Grosso (-1.7%) and Espírito Santo (-1.4%) had the most negative results in March 2021.

In comparison between the first quarter in 2021 with the same quarter in 2020, there were increases in nine of the 15 areas surveyed, with a highlight to Santa Catarina (17.8%) and Rio Grande do Sul (12.3%). Minas Gerais (9.1%), Paraná (9.0%), São Paul (9.0%), Ceará (6.5%) and Pernambuco (4.5%) also recorded positive results above the national average (4.4%), whereas Pará (3.1%) and Amazonas (0.3%) completed the group of areas with increase in the cumulative index in the year.

On the other hand, Bahia (-.17.9%) accounted for the most significant decrease in the year. Mato Grosso (-7.7%), Northeast Region ,1%), Goiás (-5.5%), Espírito Santo (-4.8%) and Rio de Janeiro (-4,5%) also recorded negative rates in this indicator.

In comparison with the last quarter in 2020 with the first quarter in 2021, both comparisons against the same period in 2020, the rates of eight of the fifteen areas surveyed accelerated, as the national index that changed from 3.4% to 4.4%.

Santa Catarina (from 11.7% to 17.8%), São Paulo (from 5.2% to 9.0%), Mato Grosso (from -10.9% to -7.7%), Rio Grande do Sul (from 9.7% to 12.3%) and Pará (from 1.0% to 3.1%) recorded the most significant increases. On the other hand, Bahia from -2.0% to -17.9%), Northeast Region (from -2.5% to -6.1%), Amazonas (from 8.3% to 0.3%) and Pernambuco (from 8.5% to 4.5%) recorded the main decreases.

The cumulative index in the last 12 months recorded a decrease of 3.1% in March, the lowest since April 2020 (-2.9%) and kept recording less significant decreases than observed in previous months.

Ten of the fifteen areas surveyed recorded negative rates in March 2021, but some were more dynamic against indexes of last February. Santa Catarina (from -3.1% to 0.9%), Rio Grande do Sul (from -4.4% to -1.7%), Amazonas (from -7.3% to -5.2%), São Paulo (from -5.0% to -3.5%), Ceará (from -5.8% to -4.4%), Minas Gerais (from -0.5% to 0.7%) and Espírito Santo (from -13.7% to -12.7%) recorded thains between February and March 2021.

Bahia (from -9.3% to -11.2%), Rio de Janeiro (from -2.1% to -3.3%) and Northeast Region (from -5.6% to -5.7%) accounted for the main decreases between the two periods.