In the seasonally-adjusted series, the national industrial output changed 0.1% in September 2023 over August. In the seasonally-unadjusted series, it rose 0.6% in relation to September 2022. The cumulative index in the year was -0.2% and the cumulative rate in 12 months registered a null change (0.0%).

Compared with August 2023, only one out of four broad economic categories and five out of 25 industrial sectors surveyed grew their output. Among the activities, the most important positive influence was recorded by mining and quarrying industries, which advanced 5.6% this month, after accumulating a loss of 5.6% in the July-August 2023 period.

Other relevant positive contributions to the overall industry came from chemicals (1.5%) and coke, petroleum products and biofuels (0.5%).

Among the 20 activities that reduced their production, farmchemicals and pharmaceuticals (-16.7%),  machinery and equipment (-7.6%) and motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (-4.1%) exerted the major negative impacts, the first one interrupting two consecutive months of expansion, a period in which it accumulated a gain of 30.2%, and the last two ones retreating once again after reporting advances in the previous month: 4.9% and 5.7%, respectively.

Among the broad economic categories, still comparing with the immediately previous month, intermediate goods (0.3%) was the only positive rate in September 2023, interrupting four consecutive months of drops, a period in which it accumulated a loss of 1.4%.

On the other hand, the sector of durable consumer goods (-4.3%) registered the most intense drop this month and offset part of the advance of 7.9% recorded in August. The segments of capital goods (-2.2%) and of semi and non-durable consumer goods (-1.4%) also reported negative results, the former retreating once again after growing 4.5% in the previous month, and the latter offsetting part of the expansion of 4.1% registered in the June-August 2023 period.

Quarterly moving average show null change (0.0%)

Still in the seasonally-adjusted series, the quarterly moving average index for the overall industry recorded a null change (0.0%) in the quarter ended in September 2023 over the level of the previous month, thus repeating the results of last August and July.

Among the broad economic categories, still in the seasonally-adjusted series, capital goods (-1.8%) recorded the sharpest negative rate this month and maintained the downward path started in March 2023.

The segments of durable consumer goods (-0.3%) and of intermediate goods (-0.2%) also recorded negative figures in September 2023, the former reporting the fourth consecutive month of drop and accumulating a reduction of 1.9% in this period, and the latter maintaining the downward path since May 2023.

In contrast, the sector producing semi and non-durable consumer goods (0.6%) registered the only positive rate this month, after advancing last August (1.4%), July (0.5%) and June (0.3%).

Industry output rises 0.6% over September 2022

Comparing with the same month in 2022, the industrial sector advanced 0.6% in September 2023, with positive figures in two out of four broad economic categories, ten out of 25 sectors, 28 out of 80 groups and 38.8% of the 789 products surveyed. It is worth mentioning that September 2023 (20 days) had one less business day than the same month in the prior year (21).

The major positive influences on the overall industry were registered by coke, petroleum products and biofuels (11.3%), mining and quarrying industries (9.1%) and food products (6.7%). It should also be highlighted the positive contribution recorded by the sector of printing and reproduction of recorded media (17.3%).

Still comparing with September 2022, among the 15 activities that reduced their production, motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (-15.8%) and machinery and equipment (-12.4%) exerted the biggest influences on the industry average. Other important negative impacts came from electrical machines, appliances and material (-11.5%), computer equipment, electronic and optical products (-12.0%), chemicals (-3.0%), manufacture of wearing apparel and accessories (-10.0%), leather, travel articles and footwear (-13.4%), fabricated metal products (-6.9%), non-metallic mineral products (-6.6%), miscellaneous manufacturing (-12.3%) and pharmchemicals and pharmaceuticals (-5.2%).

Semi and non-durable goods (2.8%) and intermediate goods (1.2%) rise in the year

Among the broad economic categories, also in comparison with the same month a year ago, semi and non-durable consumer goods (2.8%) and intermediate goods (1.2%) recorded the expansions in September 2023. On the other hand, the sectors producing durable consumer goods (-3.0%) and capital goods (-12.9%) reported the negative rates this month.

The sector producing semi and non-durable consumer goods grew 2.8% in September 2023 against the same period a year ago, the second consecutive positive rate in this type of comparison.

The sector of intermediate goods advanced 1.2% in September 2023 over the same period of the previous year, the second positive rate in a row in this kind of comparison.

Still comparing with the same month last year, the segment of durable consumer goods retreated 3.0% in September 2023, after advancing 2.8% last August, when it interrupted two consecutive months of negative rates in this type of comparison.

The sector producing capital goods dropped 12.9% in September 2023 against the same period a year ago, the sixth consecutive negative rate in this type of comparison.

Cumulative index in the year records a negative change of 0.2%

The cumulative index for January-September 2023 against the same period a year ago declined 0.2%, with negative figures in two out of four broad economic categories, 17 out of 25 sectors, 52 out of 80 groups and 56.8% of the 789 products surveyed. The major negative influences came from chemicals (-7.2%), motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (-5.8%),  machinery and equipment (-6.9%), electrical machines, appliances and material (-11.1%) and non-metallic mineral products (-7.4%).

It should also be highlighted the negative contributions registered by the sectors of computer equipment, electronic and optical products (-9.2%), manufacture of wearing apparel and accessories (-8.9%), wood products (-12.1%), basic metals (-2.6%), fabricated metal products (-3.5%) and miscellaneous manufacturing (-8.2%).

Among eight activities that expanded their output, still comparing with January-September 2022, mining and quarrying industries  (6.0%), coke, petroleum products and biofuels (4.8%) and food products (3.9%) exerted the biggest influences on the industry average. Other important positive impacts were recorded by pharmchemicals and pharmaceuticals (6.4%) and other transportation equipment (12.3%).

Among the broad economic categories, the profile of the results for the nine months of 2023 showed less dynamism for capital goods (-10.4%), mostly pressed by the reductions in the manufacture of capital goods for transportation equipment (-12.6%), for electricity (-28.3%) and for industrial use (-7.5%). The sector producing intermediate goods (-0.3%) also recorded a negative figure and with a slightly more intense loss than that reported by the industry average (-0.2%).

Conversely, the segment of durable consumer goods (3.2%) reported the steepest advance in the January-September 2023 period, mostly leveraged by the bigger production of household appliances (8.9%), cars (3.2%) and motorcycles (13.4%). The sector producing semi and non-durable consumer goods (1.8%) grew in the cumulative indicator in the year as well.