Industrial production increases 0.2% in December and ends in 2018 with an increase of 1.1% | Economy

On this basis of comparison, it was the worst result in December since 2015 (-1.9%).

Compared with December 2017, the industrial sector recorded a drop of 3.6%, also the worst result of the month since 2015, which reinforces the feeling that the recovery of the sector remains fragile and slow.

"In the cumulation of the last twelve months (1.1%), the industry remained with a loss of pace.

Production of Brazilian industry

See result accumulated in year (in%)

Source: IBGE

compared to July (3.3%), August (3.1%), September (2.7%), October (2.3% ) and November (1.8%), "said IBGE.

Taking into account the quarterly moving average, industrial production closed in 2018 at 16.3% below the peak of the historical series started in 2012 and reached in May 2011.

13 years

According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), 13 of the 26 industrial sectors surveyed registered a decline in 2018. However, 50.9% of the 805 products studied were registered.

Among declining activities, the largest negative contributions to industry results for the year were food products (-5.1%), clothing and accessories (-3.3%), and consumer goods. in leather. travel goods and footwear (-2.3%).

"Activities such as food, metallurgy, and beverages, which performed positively early in the year, have been declining in intensity over the past few months." said the director of research, André Macedo.

The strongest positive influence of the year comes from the growth in the production of motor vehicles, trailers and bodywork (12.6%), metallurgy (4.0%), pulp paper products and paper products (4.9%). , mining (1.3%), machinery and equipment (3.4%), pharmaceuticals and pharmaceuticals (6.1%).

Of the major economic categories, consumer durables (7.6%) and capital goods (7.4%), driven in large part by the increase in motor vehicle manufacturing (10%), 8%), and devices of the "brown line" (4.4%), in the first; and equipment goods for transport equipment (13.8%) and construction (25.2%), in the second.

"Although it has lost some intensity in the last few months of the year, the automotive sector in 2018 has been particularly favored by the increased demand of the Argentine market," he said. the head of research.

The intermediate goods sector grew only 0.4%, while semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods fell 0.3%.

Slow recovery and prospects

The recovery of the sector, as well as that of the rest of the Brazilian economy

followed a slow pace last year, but the optimism of the companies grew at the end of the year.

The index of confidence in the industry (ICI), calculated by the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), has reached its highest level since August 2018.

The index of 39; investment in the industry has reached its highest level since April according to a survey of the National Confederation of Industry (CNI). However, research has shown that the financial situation of companies has deteriorated and that, according to the evaluation of entrepreneurs, access to credit remains difficult.