In the seasonally-adjusted series, volume of services in Brazil expanded 0.9% in May 2023 over April, after retreating 1.5% in the previous month. As a result, the sector was 11.5% above the level of February 2020  (pre-pandemic) and 2.0% below that in December 2022 (peak of the time series).

In the seasonally-unadjusted series, volume of services grew 4.7% compared with May last year, the 27th positive rate in a row. The cumulative index in the year hit 4.8% against the same period in 2022. The cumulative rate in the last 12 months changed from 6.8% in April to 6.4% in May 2023, the lowest figure since August 2021 (5.1%).

The expansion of 0.9% in volume of services between April and May 2023 was followed by four out of five activities investigated, highlighted by the sector of transportation (2.2%), which recovered part of the loss (-4.3%) registered in April. The other advances this month came from services rendered to families (1.1%),  other services (0.6%) and information and communication (0.2%), the first one reaching a cumulative gain of 2.2% in the April-May period; the second one recovering part of the loss of 1.7% recorded in the two previous months; and the last one reporting a slight increase (0.2%) after retreating 1.1% in April. On the other hand, the only retraction this month was in professional, administrative and complementary services (-1.0%), registering the second setback in a row, with a cumulative loss of 1.5%.

Still in the seasonally-adjusted series, the quarterly moving average index recorded a positive change (0.2%) in the quarter ended in May 2023 over the previous month, thus reaching the second positive result in a row. Among the sectors, four out of five activities advanced over the quarter ended in April: professional administrative and complementary (0.7%), transportation (0.6%), services rendered to families (0.4%) and information and communication (0.2%). The only negative rate came from other services (-0.4%).

In comparison with May 2022, volume of the services sector, having increased 4.7% in May 2023, recorded the 27th positive rate in a row.  The month’s result was marked by increases in all the five dissemination activities and in 58.4% of the 166 types of services investigated.  Among the sectors, that of transportation, support services for transportation and mailing (7.1%) accounted for the major positive contribution to the overall volume of services, due, to a great extent, to the increased revenue of enterprises in the segments of road transportation of cargo, air transportation of passengers, maritime and port support navigation, storage and inland transportation of cargo.

The other advances came from information and communication (4.0%), professional, administrative and complementary (3.4%), services rendered to families (2.8%) and other services (0.3%).

In the cumulative index in the year, over the same period in 2022, the services sector increased 4.8%, with an expansion in the five activities and in 59.6% of the 166 types of services surveyed.

Among the sectors, that of transportation, support services for transportation and mailing (5.7%) accounted for the major positive contribution to the total volume of services, leveraged, to a large extent, by the increase in the revenue of enterprises that work in the segments of road transportation of cargo, mass road transportation, storage, inland transportation of cargo and maritime and port support navigation. The other advances came from information and communication services (5.1%), professional, administrative and complementary services (4.6%), services rendered to families (5.9%) and  other services (0.2%).

Services increase in 24 of the 27 federation Units in May

In the seasonally-adjusted series, 24 out of 27 Federation Units rose in May 2023 over the immediately previous month, following the result for Brazil (0.9%). Among the places with positive rates, the most important impacts came from Mato Grosso (22.5%) and Rio de Janeiro (3.4%), followed by Minas Gerais (2.6%), Rio Grande do Sul (2.0%) and Goiás (5.0%). The major negative contribution came from São Paulo (-1.5%).

In the comparison with May 2022, the advance in volume of services in Brazil (4.7%) was followed by 23 out of 27 Federation Units. The major positive contribution came from Rio de Janeiro (7.7%), followed by Minas Gerais (9.3%), Paraná (13.3%), Mato Grosso (29.4%) and Rio Grande do Sul (10.4%). On the other hand, São Paulo (-0.9%) recorded the most relevant negative figure this month.

The cumulative index between January and May 2023, against the same period a year ago, shows that the advance in volume of services in Brazil (4.8%) was spread over the places surveyed, since 26 out of 27 Federation Units also recorded increases in real  services revenue. The major positive impacts in regional terms occurred in São Paulo (1.6%) and Rio de Janeiro (6.6%), followed by Minas Gerais (8.6%), Paraná (11.2%), Santa Catarina (10.6%) and Rio Grande do Sul (7.5%). In contrast, Mato Grosso do Sul (-0.3%) registered the only negative influence on the national index.

Tourism activities grow 4.0% in May

In May 2023, the index of tourism activities expanded 4.0% against the immediately previous month, the second positive rate in a row, a period with a cumulative gain of 4.7%. As a result, the tourism segment was 5.6% above the level of February 2020 and 1.9% below the peak of the time series, reached in February 2014.  In regional terms, 11 out of 12 places surveyed followed the expansion movement registered in the national tourism activity (4.0%). The most relevant positive contribution came from São Paulo (2.8%), followed by Rio de Janeiro (3.8%), Minas Gerais (3.3%) and Bahia (5.1%). On the other hand, Ceará (-0.6%) recorded the only retreat in regional terms.

In the May 2023/May 2022 comparison, the index of volume of tourism activities in Brazil expanded 8.6%, the 26th consecutive positive rate, mainly leveraged by the increase in the revenue of enterprises that work in the sectors of air transportation of passengers, car rental, catering services, mass road transportation and travel agencies. In regional terms, ten out of 12 Federation Units in which the indicator is measured registered an advance in the tourism services, highlighted by São Paulo (6.6%), followed by Rio de Janeiro (15.0%), Minas Gerais (17.0%) and Bahia (13.6%). In contrast, Ceará (-3.4%) and the Federal District (-1.9%) exerted the only negative impacts this month.

In the cumulative index between January and May 2023, the special aggregate of tourism activities recorded an increase of 8.4% against the same period a year ago, mainly due to revenue increases in companies in the sectors of car rental, restaurants, hotels, travel agencies, catering services and mass road transportation. In regional terms, 11 out of 12 places investigated also recorded positive rate, highlighted by São Paulo (7.4%), followed by Minas Gerais (19.7%), Rio de Janeiro (8.4%), Bahia (12.0%), Paraná (13.6%) and Santa Catarina (10.6%). On the other hand, the Federal District (-1.1%) registered the only negative figure in the first five months of the year in the special indicator of tourism.

Passenger and cargo transportation advance in May

In the seasonally-adjusted series, volume of passenger transportation in Brazil expanded 2.8% in May 2023 over the immediately previous month, thus recovering part of the loss of 4.5% registered between March and April. This way, the segment was 2.1% above the level of February 2020 (pre-pandemic), and 21.4% below that of February 2014 (peak of the time series).  On its turn, volume of cargo transportation grew 3.7% in May 2023, surpassing the drop of 2.8% reported in April. Therefore, this segment peaked the time series in May 2023. In comparison with the pre-pandemic level, cargo transportation was 41.3% above that of February 2020.

Compared with May last year, passenger transportation advanced 4.6% in May 2023, after retreating 5.3% in April, when it interrupted a series of 24 positive rates, whereas cargo transportation, in the same comparison, grew 13.0%, the 33rd positive result in a row.

In the cumulative index between January and May this year, passenger transportation expanded 4.0% against the same period in 2022,whereas cargo transportation advanced 11.2% in the same interval investigated.