In February 2023, the volume of services in Brazil grew by 1.1% compared to January, in the seasonally adjusted series. As a result, the sector is 11.5% above the pre-pandemic level (February 2020) and 2.0% below the highest point in the time series (December 2022).

In the non-adjusted series, compared to February 2022, the volume of services increased by 5.4%, its 24th consecutive positive rate. The cumulative index in the year was 5.7% and the cumulative index in twelve months went from 8.0% in January 2023 to 7.8% in February, the lowest result since September 2021 (6.8%).

The expansion of 1.1% in the volume of services in February 2023, in the seasonally adjusted series, was seen in three of the five investigated activities, with a highlight to the transportation sector (2.3%), which recovered part of the loss of 4.4% recorded in the previous month. The other increases in the month came from information and communication services (1.6%) and other services (0.7%), with the former accumulating a gain of 2.4% in the first two months of the year; and the latter advancing after registering a strong retraction in January (-8.6%).

On the other hand, professional, administrative and complementary services (-1.0%) and services rendered to families (-0.7%) were the negative influences in the month, with the former having the second setback in a row, with a cumulative loss of 3.1%; and the latter eliminating part of the gain (3.5%) registered in December and January.

The quarterly moving average was 0.3% in the quarter ended in February 2023 compared to the previous month. Among the sectors, in the seasonally adjusted series, all five activities increased compared to the level of the quarter ended in January: services rendered to families (0.9%); other services (0.3%); transportation (0.1%); information and communication (0.1%); and professional, administrative and complementary services (0.1%).

Compared to February 2022, the volume of services increased by 5.4%, its twenty-fourth consecutive positive rate. This month's result brought expansion in all five dissemination activities and also had growth in 55.4% of the 166 types of services investigated.

Among the sectors, information and communication (8.7%) and transportation, support services for transportation and mailing (5.2%) brought the main positive contributions to the volume of services, driven by the increase in revenue of companies belonging to the telecommunications branches; software development and licensing; data processing, application service providers and Internet hosting services; development of custom computer programs; and technical support, maintenance and other services in information technology, in the first sector; and mass road transportation of passengers; air transportation of passengers; road transportation of cargo; vehicle parking; management of ports and terminals; rail transportation of cargo; and pipeline transportation, in the last one.

The other advances came from services rendered to families (11.5%); professional, administrative and complementary services (2.8%); and other services (0.6%), which presented revenue increases in: hotels; restaurants; catering services; and physical conditioning activities, in the first branch; car leasing; business intermediation activities in general; legal activities; leasing of temporary labor; and engineering services, in the second; and real estate activities; insurance, supplementary pension and health brokers and agents; securities brokerages; and fund management activities by contract or commission, in the latter.

The cumulative result for the year, compared to the same period of the previous year, was 5.7%, with positive rates in all five dissemination activities and in 60.8% of the 166 types of services investigated. Among the sectors, the most important positive contribution came from the sector of transportation, support services for transportation and mailing (5.4%), driven, to a large extent, by the increase in the revenues of companies that operate in the public road transportation of passengers; air transportation of passengers; road transportation of cargo; vehicle parking; management of ports and terminals; and rail transportation of cargo.

The other advances came from information and communication (7.1%); professional, administrative and complementary services (5.5%); services rendered to families (11.4%); and other services (0.6%), explained, mainly, by the increase in revenue from telecommunications companies; software development and licensing; Consulting in information technology; development of custom computer programs; and data processing, application service providers and Internet hosting services, in the first branch; engineering services; car leasing; travel agencies; billing activities and registration information; and advisorship in business management, in the second; of restaurants; hotels; catering services; theater activities and shows; and physical conditioning activities, in the third; and support activities for insurance, private pension and health plans; repair and maintenance of computers and peripheral equipment; management of condominiums and shopping malls; and support activities for forestry production, in the last one.

Services grow in 20 of the 27 Federation Units in February

By area, most (20) of the 27 Federation Units registered expansion in the volume of services in February 2023, in comparison with the previous month, accompanying the increase observed in the result for Brazil (1.1%).

The major positive impacts came from Mato Grosso (7.7%) and Pernambuco (6.1%), followed by Pará (7.2%), Minas Gerais (0.8%) and Paraná (0.8%). The main negative influences came from São Paulo (-0.1%), Federal District (-1.7%) and Rio Grande do Sul (-0.8%).

Compared to February 2022, the increase in the volume of services in Brazil (5.4%) was followed by 26 of the 27 states. The main contribution came form São Paulo (2.9%), followed by Rio de Janeiro (6.1%), Minas Gerais (8.7%), Paraná (9.9%) and Santa Catarina (9.7%). The only fall was in Mato Grosso do Sul (-0.3%).

In the cumulative result for the year, compared to the same period in 2022, the increase in the volume of services in Brazil (5.7%) occurred in 25 of the 27 UFs. The main positive impact came from São Paulo (3.4%), followed by Rio de Janeiro (7.2%), Minas Gerais (9.9%), Paraná (11.0%) and Rio Grande do Sul (8 .9%). The negative influences came from Mato Grosso do Sul (-3.5%) and Acre (-0.2%).

Tourism activities retreat 0.7% in February

In February 2023, the index of tourist activities fell by 0.7% compared to the previous month, after advancing for two consecutive months, a period in which it accumulated a gain of 5.5%. As a result, the tourism segment is 1.9% above the February 2020 level and 5.2% below the highest point in the series, reached in February 2014.

In the February 2023/February 2022 comparison, the tourism activity volume index in Brazil increased by 14.8%, the twenty-third positive rate in a row, driven mainly by the increase in revenue from companies operating in car rental; hotels; restaurants; air transportation; mass road passenger transportation; catering services; and travel agencies.

All twelve Federation Units where the indicator is investigated showed progress in services aimed at tourism, with a highlight to São Paulo (12.5%), followed by Minas Gerais (25.2%), Rio de Janeiro (12.4%), Bahia (20.2%), Paraná (23.0%) and Santa Catarina (23.9%).

In the cumulative result for the year, the special aggregate of tourism activities rose 13.8% compared to the same period in 2022, mainly driven by revenue increases in car rental; restaurants; hotels; travel agencies; mass road transportation of passengers; and catering services. The twelve areas investigated had positive rates, with a highlight to São Paulo (14.6%), followed by Minas Gerais (25.0%), Rio de Janeiro (9.6%), Bahia (16.9%), Paraná (18.0%) and Santa Catarina (20.1%).

Passenger transportation (2.6%) and cargo transportation (2.0%) up

In February 2023, the volume of passenger transportation in Brazil increased by 2.6% compared to the previous month, in the seasonally adjusted series, after having decreased by 3.4% in last January. Thus, the segment is, in that reference month, 5.0% above the level of February 2020 (pre-pandemic) and 18.6% below February 2014, the highest point of the time series.

In turn, the volume of cargo transportation rose 2.0% in February 2023, recovering much of the 2.3% loss seen in the first month of this year. Thus, the segment is 1.3% below the highest point in its series, reached in August 2022. Regarding the pre-pandemic level, cargo transportation is 32.2% above February 2020.

Compared to February 2022, passenger transportation had the 23rd consecutive positive rate (10.7%) and cargo transportation grew 9.2%, its 30th consecutive increase.

In the cumulative result for the year, passenger transportation grew 9.0% compared to the same period in 2022, while cargo transportation increased 9.8% in the same period.

Keywords: Volume de serviços cresce 1, 1% em fevereiro