In May 2021, the national output of industry increased by 1.4% from April (seasonally-adjusted series), and interrupted a sequence of three months of decrease, when there was a cumulative loss of 4.7%. Against May 2020, the output increased by 24.0%, ninth positive rate in a row and the second highest in the time series, only second to that of last April (34.7%). In the year, industry recorded an increase of 13.1% and, in 12 months, of 4.9%.

The growth (1.4%) of industry in May, against the previous month, was observed in two of the four major economic categories and 15 of the 26 subsectors surveyed.

Among the activities, the most significant positive contributions came from food products (2.9%), which increased after a decrease of 3.2% in the previous month; coke, petroleum products and biofuels (3.0%), which made up for the 10.0% loss registered in April, and mining and quarrying industry (2.0%), with the third month of increase in a row, with a cumulative increase of 10.0% in the period.

Other important positive contributions came from basic metals (3.2%), other chemicals (2.9%), pharmaceuticals (8.0%), beverages (2.9%) and manufacture of wearing apparel and accessories (6.2%).

On the other hand, among the ten activities recording decrease, the main negative contributions came from rubber products and plastic material (-3.8%), which has had a cumulative loss of 10.5% in three months of decrease; machinery and equipment (-1.8%), which eliminated part of the 2.2% expansion registered in April, and (-6.1%), which had a cumulative loss of 26.5% in five consecutive months of decrease.

Among the major economic categories, also versus April, the sectors of semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (3.6%) and capital goods (1.3%) accounted for the positive rates of May, with the former interrupting a sequence of three months of decrease (11.4%); and the latter with a cumulative 4.3%, after two months of increase.

The sectors of durable consumer goods (-2.4%) and intermediate goods (-0.6%) recorded negative results. The former had its sixth consecutive decrease, with loss of 16.2% in the period. The later reduced its intensity of decrease against April (-1.1%).

Quarterly moving average stays at -0.8% in the quarter ended May

Also in the seasonally adjusted series, the quarterly moving average of industry stayed at – 0.8% in the quarter ended May 2021 against the level in the previous month, having remained on a downward trend since February 2021.

Among the major economic categories, durable consumer goods (-3.3%), on a downward trend since January, and semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (-2.9%), in its third month of decrease (with a cumulative -9.4% in the period), recorded the most significant decreases in this comparison. Both the segments of capital goods (-1.1%) and intermediate goods (-0.6%) recorded their consecutive negative rates, with cumulative losses of 5.1% and 1.0%, respectively.

Against May 2020, industry recorded the second biggest increase in the series

Against May 2020, industry advanced 24.0%, with the second highest rate in the time series, only below that of April (34.7%). The four major economic categories recorded positive results, besides 22 of the 26 subsectors, 69 of the 79 groups, and 76.3% of the 805 products surveyed.

May 2021 (21 days) had one more business day than the same month in 2020. The positive result reflects the low basis for comparison, for, in May 2020, the production process was still being severely affected by the pandemic.

Among the activities, the main influences came from motor vehicles, trailers and trunks (216.0%), machinery and equipment (64.9%), basic metals (49.3%), mining and quarrying industry (11.8%) and non-metallic mineral products (47.1%).

Other important positive impacts were those of other chemicals (25.5%), rubber products and plastic material (33.2%), manufacture of wearing apparel and accessories (97.6%), metal products (33.2%),electric machinery, appliances and equipment (47.6%), beverages (21.4%), other transportation equipment (192.2%), miscellaneous products (107.1%) and textiles (70.2%).

Considering the four activities that recorded decrease, food products (-4.9%) and coke, petroleum products and biofuels (-5.9%) accounted for the most significant negative contributions, due to the reduced output of granulated and VHP sugar, in the former; and fuels oils, naphtha for petrochemical industry and liquefied petroleum gas, in the latter.

Among the major economic categories, the biggest increases against May 2020 were those of durable consumer goods (149.4%) and capital goods (76.7%). The sectors of intermediate goods (18.1%) and semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (13.2%) also had positive rates, although below the average of industry (24.0%).

The sector of durable consumer goods (149.4%) registered the third consecutive positive rate against the same month a year ago, mainly due to the reduced production of cars (340.4%), white goods (104.6%) and motorcycles (634.3%). Other highlights were brown goods (12.3%), other household appliances (99.1%) and furniture (45.5%).

The production of capital goods (76.7%) recorded the ninth positive result in this comparison. The segment was influenced by increases in all the groups, with a highlight to capital goods for transportation equipment (155.3%), as a result of the bigger production of trucks, tractor trucks for trailers and semi-trailers, vehicles for the transportation of goods, trailers and semi-trailers and airplanes. The other positive rates were those of capital goods for industrial use (56.7%), for agriculture (55.8%), for mixed use (39.9%), for construction (75.1%) and for electricity (9.3%).

The segment of intermediate goods (18.1%) recorded the 11th consecutive positive rate against the same month in 2020. The result of May was influenced by motor vehicles, trailers and trunks (158.0%), basic metals (49.3%), non-metallic mineral products (46.7%), other chemicals (25.6%), mining and quarrying industry (11.8%), machinery and equipment (79.1%), rubber products and plastic material (32.4%), metal products (34.9%), textiles (66.4%) and pulp, paper and paper products (11.6%). Coke, petroleum products and biofuels (-12.6%) and food products (-11.1%) were responsible for negative results. Also in this economic category, it is also worth mentioning the positive results in the groups of typical inputs for civil construction (34.2%) and for packaging (10.3%).

The sector of semi-durable and non-durable goods (13.2%) recorded the third consecutive positive rate in this comparison, mainly due to the increase in the group of semi-durable goods (63.4%), as a result of increases in the sectors of footwear and manufacture of wearing apparel and footwear. It is worth mentioning the hikes in the groups of food products and elaborated beverages for domestic consumption (5.5%), non-durable goods (9.3%) and fuels (12.3%).

All the major categories recorded cumulative increases in the year  

In the cumulative index in the year, against the same period in the previous year, hit 13.1%, with increase in the four major categories, 21 of the 26 subsectors, 65 of the 79 groups and 73.9% of the 805 products surveyed.

Among the major economic categories, results in the first five months of 2021 were positive for capital goods (43.7%) and durable consumer goods (37.5%), due to the rise in capital goods for transportation equipment (64.8%), for industrial use (26.8%) and for agriculture (60.4%), in the former; and cars (43.7%) and white goods (47.9%), in the latter. The segments of intermediate goods (10.9%) and semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (6.3%) also recorded increases, but below the average.

Considering the activities, motor vehicles, trailers and trunks (52.9%), machinery and equipment (39.4%), basic metals (22.7%) and non-metallic mineral products (32.6%) accounted for the main positive contributions. Other highlights were metal products (26.3%), rubber products and plastic material (22.9%), other chemicals (12.5%), electric machinery, appliances and equipment (27.9%), wearing apparel and accessories (36.6%), beverages (15.1%), textiles (36.3%), computer equipment, electronic and optical material (15.9%), leather, travel articles and footwear (25.0%), miscellaneous products (30.8%), wood products (25.1%) and furniture (29.4%).

On the other hand, among the five activities recording decrease, the main influence came from food products (-5.2%), due to the reduced output of items such as sugar, cookies and crackers, powdered milk, tarts, bagasse and other residue from the extraction of soybean, rice, dry pasta, powdered chocolate, crude and refined soybean oil, margarine, wheat powder, coffee and canned fish.