Industry up 1.2% in March, after five months of decline or stability
Brazilian industry grew by 1.2 percent from February to March, breaking a five-month streak of losses or positive variation close to zero, which is considered stability. It is also the biggest expansion since June 2024, when growth stood at 4.3 percent.
Considering only the months of March, the result is the highest since 2018, when it grew by 1.4 percent. The data can be found in the monthly industrial survey released Wednesday (May 7) by the statistics bureau IBGE.
Compared to March last year, a 3.1 percent increase was recorded. In this comparison, it is the tenth positive increase in a row. In 12 months, the industry was up 3.1 percent.
The figures bring the industry to 2.8 percent above pre-pandemic levels—February 2020—and 14.4 percent below the highest point in the time series, recorded in May 2011.
Widespread growth
Survey Manager André Macedo noted there was widespread growth in the sector, with “key segments showing production growth.” Of the four categories surveyed, three displayed an expansion:
Durable consumer goods: 3.8 percent.
Semi- and non-durable consumer goods: 2.4 percent.
Intermediate goods (used in the production of other goods): 0.3 percent.
Capital goods (machinery and equipment): -0,7 percent.
