In March 2022, volume of services in Brazil increased 1.7% against february, in the seasonally adjusted series. As a result, the services sector recovered from the loss observed in January this year (-1.8%) eand reached the biggest level since 2015. This way, the sector is 7.2% above the level in February 2020 (pre-pandemic) and 4.0% below that in November 2014 (peak in the time series).

In the seasonally adjusted series, against March 2021, volume of services increased 11.4%, and recorded the 13th positive rate in a row. In the cumulative index in the year, volume increased by 9.4% against the same period in 2021. The cumulative index in the last 12 months went from 13.0% in February to 13.6% in March 2022, keeping an upward trend since february 2021 (-8.6%).

The increase of 1.7% in volume of services from February to March de 2022, was followed by all the five activities investigated, with a highlight to transportation (2.7%) and information and communication services (1.7%). Whereas the first sector recorded the fifth consecutive result, with a cumulative increase of 12.3%; the second one, ahving advanced 1.7% in MArch, recovered a small part of the cumulative loss between December 2021 and February 2022 (-4.7%). Other increaseds were recorded by professional, administrative and complementary services (1.5%), services rendered to families (2.4%) and other services (1.6%).

Also in the seasonally-adjusted series, the quarterly moving average index recorded a positive change (0.1%) in the quarter ended March 2022 against the previous month, and kept the predominantly positive behavior observed since July 2020. Among the sectors, also in relation to the marginal movement of the index, foru sectors recorded increase in the overall index: transportation (2.3%), professional, administrative and complementary services (1.2%), services rendered to families (0.5%) and other services (0.1%). On the other hand, information and communication services (-1.0%) had the only negative result ended March 2022.

Against March 2021,, volume of the services, having advanced 11.4% in March 2022, recorded its 13th positive rate in a row. The result of this month presents increase in four of the five activities and increase in 68.1% of the 166 types of services investigated. Among the sectors, transportation, support services for transportation and mailing (17.2%) accounted for the main contribution to the overall volume of services, due, to a great extent, to the increase of revenue in the segments of air transportation of passengers, road cargo trasnportation, maritime and port support navigation and mailing and subway and railway transportation of passengers.

The other advances came from services rendered to families (62.2%), professional, administrative and complementary services (9.1%); and information and communication services (4.0%), which presented increments in revenue of: restaurants; hotels; and catering services, in the first segment; car rental; engineering services; solutions in electronic payments; legal activities; and travel agencies, in the second; and in portals, content providers and other information services on the Internet; development and licensing of software; consulting in information technology; data treatment, application service providers and Internet host services, and development of computer programs on demand, in the last one.

On the other hand, the only negative rate in the month was that of other services (-4.3%), due, mainly, to the lower revenue from recovery of plastic material; administration of stock markets and over-the-counter markets; security brokers; and activities of administration of funds by contract or commission.

In the cumulative index in Q1 2022, against the same period in the previous year, the sector of services recorded an increase of 9.4%, with four of the five dissemination activities recording positive rates in 68.1% of the 166 types of services investigated. Among the sectors, the most relevant positive contribution was that of transportation, support services for transportation and mailing (15.5%). Other advances came from services rendered to families (30.6%); professional, administrative and complementary services (8.0%); and information and communication (3.8%). The sector of other services (-2.3%), on the other hand, recorded the only negative rate of the cumulative index in the year.

Services advance in 24 of the 27 Federation Units in March

By area, 24 of the 27 Federation Units recorded an increase in volume of services in March 2022, in comparison with the immediately previous month, following the increase (1.7%) observed in Brazil. Among the areas that recorded positive rates in the month, the main impact came from São Paulo (2.7%), followed by Minas Gerais (6.4%) Federal District (10.3%), Santa Catarina (4.2%), Rio Grande do Sul (2.6%) and Rio de Janeiro (0.8%). On the other hand, Mato Grosso (-3.0%) accounted for the main negative influence in regional terms.

Against March 2021, the advance of volume of services in Brazil (11.4%) was followed by 25 of the 27 Federation Units. The main positive contribution was that of São Paulo (13.0%), followed by Minas Gerais (15.7%) and Rio Grande do Sul (22.4%). On the contrary, Mato Grosso do Sul (-1.9%) and Rondônia (-6.0%) accounted for the only negative results in the month.

In the cumulative index in Q1 2022, against the same period a year ago, the advance of volume of services in Brazil (9.4%) was widespread among the areas surveyed, since 26 of the 27 Federation Units also recorded an increase in real services revenue. The main positive impact in regional terms occurred in São Paulo (11.2%), followed by Minas Gerais (10.1%) and Rio Grande do Sul (16.1%). On the other hand, Rondônia (-0.5%) accounted for the only negative contribution to the national index.

Tourism activities increased by 4.5% in March

In March 2022, the tourism activity index recorded an increase of 4.5% from the previous month, after a decrease of 0.9% in the last two months. It is worth mentioning that the tourism sector is still 6.5% below the level in February 2020. All the 12 areas surveyed followed the movement of increase in national tourism activity (4.5%). The most relevant positive contribution was that of São Paulo (7.0%), followed by Bahia (8.0%), Santa Catarina (11.8%) and Rio de Janeiro (2.9%).

In the comparison March 2022/March 2021, the tourism activity index in Brazil increased by 75.6%, 12the positive rate in a row, being mainly affected by the increase of the revenue of conmpanies in the segments of air transportation; restaurants; hotels; collective road transportation of passengers; car rental; and catering services. In regional terms, all the 12 Federation Units where the indicator is surveyed showed increases in tourism-related services, with a highlight to São Paulo (85.7%), followed by Minas Gerais (100.0%), Rio de Janeiro (42.3%), Rio Grande do Sul (131.3%) and Bahia (66.6%).

In the cumulative index in Q1 2022, the special aggregate for tourism activities recorded an increase of 42.2% against the same period a year ago, mainly due to the increase in revenue of companies in the segments of: air transportation of passengers; hotels; restaurants; car rental; collective road transportation of passengers; and catering services. All the 12 areas surveyed also recorded positive rates, with highlights observed in São Paulo (51.6%), Minas Gerais (69.2%), Rio de Janeiro (20.6%), Bahia (35.8%), Rio Grande do Sul (61.0%) and Pernambuco (33.9%).