In December 2022, national industrial production showed zero change (0.0%) compared to November, in the seasonally adjusted series. Compared to December 2021, industry decreased by 1.3%, after four months of growth in this comparison: November (0.9%), October (1.7%), September (0.4%) and August (2. 8%) from 2022. The quarterly moving average in December was 0.1%. In 2022, the industry accumulates a decrease of 0.7%, after accumulating an increase of 3.9% in 2021.

With this result, compared to the same period of 2021, industry indices were positive both at the end of the 4th quarter of 2022 (0.5%) and in the cumulative result for the second half of the year (0.7%).

In the null change (0.0%) of industrial activity from November to December 2022, three of the four major economic categories and 11 of the 26 subsectors surveyed showed growth in production.

Petroleum derivatives grow for the 3rd time in a row, with 3.4% in December 2022

Among the activities, the most important positive influences came from coke, petroleum products and biofuels (3.4%) and pharmaceuticals (9.1%). The former registers the third consecutive month of expansion in production, a period in which it accumulated increase of 6.8%. The latter eliminated the drop of 0.4% seen in the previous month.

Other relevant positive contributions over the industry total came from fabricated metal products (5.6%), motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (1.3%), apparel and accessories manufacturing (8.0%), computers, electronic equipment and optical products (4.7%) and leather, travel items and footwear (6.7%).

On the other hand, among the 15 activities that pointed to a reduction in production, food products (-2.6%) and basic metals (-5.1%) exerted the main impacts in December 2022, with both interrupting two consecutive months of advance, a period in which they accumulated expansion of 8.5% and 8.6%, respectively.

It is also worth noting the declines registered by the branches of other chemical products (-3.2%), machinery and equipment (-3.6%), minig and quarrying industries (-1.1%) and beverages (-2.8 %).

Among the major economic categories, compared to the previous month, durable consumer goods (4.1%), semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (3.2%) and capital goods (1.8%) registered the positive rates of December 2022. With these results, the first eliminated part of the 4.6% loss accumulated in the period September-November 2022; the second marked the third consecutive month of growth in production, a period in which it accumulated expansion of 4.5%; and the latter intensified the advance registered in November 2022 (0.8%).

On the other hand, the sector producing intermediate goods (-2.1%) had the only negative result in that month, thus interrupting two consecutive months of growth in production, a period in which it accumulated gain of 0.9%.

Moving average changes 0.1% in December 2022

In the seasonally adjusted series, the quarterly moving average index for the total industry changed by 0.1% in the quarter ended in December 2022 compared to the level of the previous month, thus interrupting the downward trend started in July 2022.

Among the major economic categories, semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods, by advancing 1.5%, marked the only positive result in December 2022 and interrupted four consecutive months of decline in production, a period in which it accumulated a loss of 1.7% .

On the other hand, the segments of capital goods (-0.5%) and intermediate goods (-0.4%) showed decreases in that month, with the former marking the second negative rate in a row and accumulating reduction of 1.6 % in this period; and the latter continuing on the downward trend begun in July 2022. The sector producing durable consumer goods showed zero change (0.0%) in December 2022, after registering a loss of 1.6% in the previous month.

Industry retreats 1.3% compared to December 2021

Compared to December 2021, industry decreased by 1.3% in December 2022, with negative results in two of the four major economic categories, 18 of the 26 branches, 45 of the 79 groups and 57.8% of the 805 products surveyed. It is worth mentioning that December 2022 had one less business day (22 days) than the same month of the previous year (23).

Among the activities, the main negative influences on industry came from mining and quarrying (-4.0%), machinery and equipment (-8.6%) and wood products (-31.5%).

It is also worth highlighting the negative contributions of non-metallic minerals (-9.9%), basic metals (-6.4%), computers, electronic equipment and optical products (-13.4%), electrical machinery, equipment and material ( -8.0%), maintenance, repair and installation of machinery and equipment (-13.2%), other chemical products (-2.5%), apparel and accessories manufacturing (-10.5%), miscellaneous products (-15.0%) and textile products (-10.6%).

On the other hand, among the eight activities with expansion in production, coke, petroleum products and biofuels (6.0%) and pharmaceuticals (32.1%) exerted the main influences on the industry.

It is also worth highlighting the positive contributions of motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (4.4%), food products (2.1%) and other transportation equipment (23.0%).

Among the major economic categories, durable consumer goods (-5.8%) and intermediate goods (-2.6%) registered, in December 2022, the negative results among the major economic categories. The sectors producing semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (3.1%) and capital goods (0.9%) recorded advances in that month.

In the last quarter of the year, industry advances 0.5%

In the fourth quarter of 2022, the industrial sector, with an increase of 0.5%, maintained the positive behavior observed in the third quarter of 2022 (0.9%), when it interrupted four consecutive quarters of negative rates, all comparisons against the same period of the previous year.

Among the major economic categories, three of the four major segments also slowed down from the third to the fourth quarter of 2022, with a highlight to durable consumer goods (from 8.2% to 2.9%). The other pace losses were registered by intermediate goods (from 0.7% to 0.3%) and capital goods (from 0.7% to 0.4%). On the other hand, the sector producing semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods, changing from 0.2% to 1.1%, was the only one that showed a gain in dynamism between the two periods.

Industry closes 2022 with an accumulated drop of 0.7%

In the cumulative index of the year, compared to the same period of the previous year, there was a decrease of 0.7%, with negative results in four of the four main economic categories, 17 of the 26 branches, 54 of the 79 groups and 62.4% of the 805 products researched.

Among the activities, the main negative influences on the industry total were registered by mining and quarrying (-3.2%), fabricated metal products (-9.0%), basic metals (-5.0%), electrical machinery, equipment and materials (-10.7%) and rubber and plastic products (-5.7%).

It is also worth mentioning the negative contributions made by the branches of non-metallic mineral products (-5.1%), textile products (-12.8%), furniture (-16.2%), wood products (- 12.9%), apparel and accessories manufacturing (-8.4%) and machinery and equipment (-2.3%).

On the other hand, still in comparison with January-December 2021, among the nine activities that pointed to expansion in production, coke, petroleum products and biofuels (6.6%) exerted the greatest influence on the formation of the industry average. Other important positive impacts were registered by food products (2.4%), motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (3.0%), other chemical products (2.3%), pulp, paper and paper products (3.1 %), beverages (3.0%) and other transportation equipment (12.9%).

Among the major economic categories, the results for the twelve months of 2022 showed less dynamism for durable consumer goods (-3.3%). The segments of intermediate goods (-0.7%), capital goods (-0.3%) and semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (-0.2%) also had negative results in the cumulative index for 2022.