In April 2022, volume of services in Brazil changed by 0.2% from March, in the seasonally adjusted series. The services sector, in April 2022, is 7.2% above the level in February 2020 (pre-pandemic) and 4.2% below the rate in November 2014 (peak of the time series).

In the non-adjusted series, against April 2021, volume of services increased 9.4% and recorded its 14th positive rate in a row. Volume of services had a cumulative increase of 9.5% in the year against the same period in 2021. The cumulative index in 12 months changed from 13.6% in March to 12.8% in April 2022, interrupting an upward trend initiated in February 2021 (-8.6%).

The increase of 0.2% in volume of services in April was followed by only two of the five activities surveyed: information and communication (0.7%) and services rendered to families (1.9%), both recording the second positive result in a row, with cumulative increase of 2.5% and 5.2%, respectively. On the other hand, transportation (-1.7%); professional, administrative and complementary services (-0.6%); and other services (-1.6%) accounted for the retractions this month. The first two segments interrupted a sequence of five positive rates, whereas the last one eliminated the increase of 1.4% recorded in March.

Also in the seasonally adjusted series, the quarterly moving average index recorded a positive change of (0.5%) in the quarter ended April 2022 agains the result in the previous month, keeping the predominantly positve performance since July 2020. Among the sectors, four of them followed the growth of the overall index: services rendered to families (1.6%), transportation (1.3%), professional, administrative and complementary services (1.0%) and information and communication (0.4%). On the other hand, only other services (-0.4%) had a negative result in the quarter ended April 2022.

Against April 2021, having advanced 9.4% in April 2022, this index recorded its 14th positive rate in a row. The month’s result was marked by increases in four of the five dissemination activities and the increase in 64.5% of the 166 types of services investigated.

Among the sectors, transportation, support services to transportation and mailing (15.5%) and information and communication services (60.8%) accounted for the main positive contributions on the total volume of services. The other advances came from professional, administrative and complementary services (7.8%) and information and communication (1.6%).

The only negative rate was that of other services (-7.7%), mainly due to the lower revenue from security brokers; recovery of plastic material; administration of stock markets and over-the-counter markets; and support activities to forestry.

In terms of the cumulative index in the first four months of 2022, against the same period a year ago, the sector of services recorded an increase of 9.5%, with positive rates in all four of the five activities surveyed and increase of 66.9%% in the 166 types of services investigated.

Among the sectors, that of transportation, support services for transportation and mailing (15.6%) accounted for the major positive contribution to the total volume of services, leveraged by the increase in the revenue of the enterprises of air transportation of passengers, road transportation of cargo, road transportation of passengers, port and terminal management, maritime and port support, and airport operation.

The other advances came from services rendered to families (37.3%), professional, administrative and complementary services (8.1%) and information and communication (3.2%).

On the other hand, the sector or other services (-3.8%) recorded the only negative rate of the cumulative index in the year, mainly due to the lower income received from companies that work in the segments of recovery of plastic material; security brokers; administration of stock markets and over-the-counter markets; support activities to forestry; and administration of funds by contract or commission.

Services advance in 12 of the 27 Federation Units in January

In the seasonally-adjusted series, volume of services increased in 12 of the 27 Federation Units in April 2022, against the previous month, according to the increase (0.2%) observed in April. The most important positive impact came from Rio de Janeiro (1.0%), followed by Espírito Santo (3.6%), Rio Grande do Norte (7.9%) and Ceará (2.4%). On the other hand, São Paulo (-0.5%), Minas Gerais (-2.8%), Federal District (-8.2%) and Rio Grande do Sul (-2.8%) accounted for the main negative rates.

In the comparison with April 2021, the advance in volume of services in Brazil (9.4%) was observed in 24 of the 27 Federation Units. The main positive contribution came from São Paulo (9.9%), followed by Minas Gerais (14.2%, Rio Grande do Sul (16.8%) and (4.3%). On the other hand, the Federal District (-1.1%) and Tocantins (-2.2%) reported the only negative results this month.

The cumulative index in the first two months of 2022, against the same period a year ago, shows that the advance in volume of services in Brazil (9.5%) was spread over the areas surveyed, since 1026 of the 27 Federation Units recorded increases in real services revenue. São Paulo accounted for the main positive impact (11.0%), in regional terms, followed by Minas Gerais (11.2%), Rio Grande do Sul (13.6%) and Bahia (14.2%). Rondônia (-1.5%) recorded the only negative influence on the national index.

Tourism activities grow 2.5% in April

In April 2022,, the index of tourism activities expanded 2.5% against the immediately previous month, the second positive rate in a row, a period with cumulative gain of 8.0%. However, the tourism segment was still 3.4% below the level of February 2020.

All the 12 areas surveyed recorded increases in national tourism activity (2.5%). The most relevant contribution came from Rio de Janeiro (4.8%), followed by Minas Gerais (4.6%), Bahia (6.8%) and Paraná (7.4%).

In the comparison April 2022/April 2021, the volume of tourism activities in Brazil increased 85.7%, 13th positive rate in a row, mainly due, probably, to the increase of revenue of companies in the segments of air transportation; restaurants; hotels; car rental; collective road transportation of passengers; catering services and travel agencies.

In regional terms, all the 12 Federation Units in which the indicator is measured registered an advance in tourism services, mainly São Paulo (82.4%), followed by Minas Gerais (132.7%), Rio de Janeiro (57.9%), Bahia (105.7%) and Rio Grande do Sul (104.5%).

Considering the cumulative index in the first two months of 2022, the special aggregate of tourism activities recorded an increase of 51.3% against the same period a year ago, mainly due to revenue increases in companies in the air transportation segment; hotels; car rental; restaurants; collective road transportation of passengers and catering services.

All the 12 areas surveyed also recorded positive rates, among which the following ones stood out: São Paulo (58.5%), followed Minas Gerais (82.7%), Bahia (47.5%), Rio de Janeiro (11.6%) and Rio Grande do Sul (70.7%).

Transportation of passengers increases by 2.3% and that of cargo, by 0.1%

In April 2022,the volume of passengers transported in Brazil increasd by 2.3% against the previous month, in the seasonally-adjusted series, and reaching a cumulative increase of 27.7% between November 2021 and April 2022.

Dessa forma, o segmento em abril se encontrava 0,1% acima do nível de fevereiro de 2020 (pré-pandemia) e 23,1% abaixo de fevereiro de 2014 (ponto mais alto da série histórica).

After two years and two months, the transportation of passemgers exceeded the pre-pandemic level for the first time, and confirmed bigger mobility of the population, reflected in the increase of revenue of companies that operate passenger transportation in its different modes: air, road and railway.

In its turn, volume of cargo transportation recorded a slight decrease (-0.1%) in April 2022, after having increased 11.1% between October 2021 and March 2022. Also, the segment is still very close (-0.1% below) to the peak of its series, reached in March 2022. Against the pre-pandemic level, cargo transportation is 23.1% above that of February 2020.

Against the same month a year ago, without seasonal adjustment, passenger transportation recorded the 13th positive rate in a row, having advanced 81.6% in April 2022, whereas cargo transportation, in the same kind of comparison, increased 9.9%, 20th consecutive posive result.

In the cumulative index in the first four months of the year, transportation of passengers recorded an increase of 53.8% against the same period in 2021,whereas cargo transportation advanced 12.0% in the same interval investigated.