In the seasonally-adjusted series, the industrial output advanced 2.9% in December 2021 against November. In the previous month, the null change (0.0%) had interrupted five consecutive months of dropping production, a period in which it accumulated a loss of 3.3%. The industry retreated 5.0% over December 2020, the fifth negative rate in this type of comparison. In the year, the sector accumulated an expansion of 3.9%, interrupting two consecutive years of drop: 2019 (-1.1%) and 2020 (-4.5%).

In the rise of 2.9% in the industrial activity between November and December, the four major economic categories and 20 out of 26 sectors surveyed increased their output.

Production of vehicles advances 12.2% in December 2021

Among the activities, the most important positive influences came from motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (12.2%) and food products (2.9%). Other relevant positive contributions came from computer, electronic and optical products (12.0%), basic metals (3.8%), mining and quarrying industries (1.6%), non-metallic mineral products (2.0%),  machinery and equipment (1.3%), pulp, paper and paper products (1.7%) and leather, traveling goods and footwear (4.5%).

Among the five dropping activities, that of pharm-chemicals and pharmaceuticals (-6.9%) exerted the major negative impact in December 2021.

Among the major economic categories, the highest expansions over November were registered by durable consumer goods (6.9%), which accumulated 8.1% in two consecutive months of growth, and by capital goods (4.4%), which offset the loss of 2.4% recorded in the previous month. The sectors producing semi- and non-durable consumer goods (1.5%) and intermediate goods (1.2%) also grew this month.

Moving average advances 0.8% in December 2021

Still in the seasonally-adjusted series, the quarterly moving average for the whole industry expanded 0.8% in the quarter ended in December 2021 against the previous month, interrupting the downward trend started in January 2021.

Among the major economic categories, the highest rate was registered by the segment of durable consumer goods (2.2%), which interrupted the negative behavior present since December 2020. On the other hand, the sector of capital goods (1.4%) resumed its growth, after retreating 0.5% in November.

The sectors producing intermediate goods (0.2%) and semi and non-durable consumer goods (0.1%) also recorded positive figures this month, both of them interrupting, respectively, nine and two consecutive months of negative rates, with cumulative losses of 4.2% and 0.8% in these periods.

Industry declines 5.0% over December 2020

Compared with December 2020, the industrial sector retreated 5.0%, with negative figures in three out of four major economic categories, 20 out of 26 sectors, 57 out of 79 groups and 64.8% of the 805 products surveyed.

The major negative influences among the activities came from basic metals (-13.9%), rubber products and plastic material (-19.9%) and fabricated metal products (-19.1%). It is also worth mentioning the negative contributions of the sectors of wearing apparel and accessories (-29.5%), motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (-5.9%), electrical machinery and apparatus (-20.0%), textiles (-27.0%), pharm-chemicals and pharmaceuticals (-18.8%), furniture (-25.8%), leather, traveling goods and footwear (-19.5%), computer, electronic and optical products (-10.6%), beverages (-4.3%), maintenance, repair and installation of  machinery and equipment (-17.4%) and toiletries, soaps, cleaning products and personal hygiene products (-8.8%).

Among the six rising activities, that of coke, petroleum products and biofuels (3.4%) exerted the greatest influence. Other important positive impacts were recorded by the sectors of mining and quarrying industries (2.0%), food products (1.8%) and pulp, paper and paper products (6.1%).

Among the major economic categories, the segment of durable consumer goods
(-16.8%) registered the sharpest drop. The sectors of semi and non-durable consumer goods (-7.4%) and of intermediate goods (-3.9%) also retreated. In contrast, the segment of capital goods (5.8%) recorded the only rise among the major economic categories.

Industry retreats 5.8% in the last quarter of the year

In the fourth quarter of 2021, the industrial sector retreated 5.8% and stepped up the negative behavior noticed in the third quarter of the year (-1.1%), when it interrupted three consecutive quarters of expanding output: fourth quarter of 2020 (3.4%) and first (4.3%) and second (22.7%) quarters of 2021, all of them compared with the same period last year.

The reduction in the intensity of loss, noticed in the industrial output between the third (-1.1%) and the fourth quarter of 2021 (-5.8%), was explained by the deceleration in the four major economic categories: capital goods (from 27.2% to 6.4%), semi and non-durable consumer goods (from -3.0% to -8.1%), durable consumer goods (from -17.4% to -22.3%) and intermediate goods (from -1.8% to -4.4%).

Sector accumulates expansion of 3.9% in the year

In the cumulative index for the year, against the same period a year ago, the industrial sector expanded 3.9%, with positive figures in three out of four major economic categories, 18 out of 26 sectors, 50 out of 79 groups and 62.4% of the 805 products surveyed.

Among the activities, motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (20.3%), machinery and equipment (24.1%) and basic metals (15.4%) exerted the major positive influences.

Other positive contributions came from the sectors of non-metallic mineral products (14.0%),  other chemicals (5.7%), wearing apparel and accessories (10.9%), fabricated metal products (5.2%), rubber products and plastic material (4.3%), wood products (12.1%), pulp, paper and paper products (3.5%), mining and quarrying industries (1.1%), other transportation equipment (15.6%), textiles (8.5%), miscellaneous products (11.5%) and electrical machinery and apparatus (4.4%).

Among the eight activities that reduced their output, the major influence on the whole industry was registered by food products (-7.8%), pressed, to a great extent, by the smaller manufacture of items crystallized sugar and VHP.

Among the major economic categories, the profile of the results for the 12 months of 2021 showed more dynamism for capital goods (28.3%). The segments of intermediate goods (3.3%) and durable consumer goods (1.9%) also grew in the 12 months of the year, though both of them advancing below the industrial average (3.9%). On the other hand, the sector producing semi and non-durable consumer goods (-0.5%) registered the only negative rate in 2021, mainly pressed by the smaller production coming from the sector of food products.