Industrial production in Brazil fell 1.2% in February, compared with January. The decline affected 10 of the 23 activities surveyed, according to information released today by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
The biggest declines occurred in pharmaceuticals (-15.6% ), food (-2.2%), petroleum refining and alcohol production (-3.1%), and beverages (-5.6%).
Among the sectors that turned in positive results, the outstanding performers were metal products (4.5%), basic metallurgy (2.5%), perfumes, soap, and cleaning products (6.2%), and rubber and plastics (1.6%).
Industrial production was up 4.4% in comparison with February, 2004. According to the IBGE, the performances of motor vehicles (15.4%), electronic and communications materials (20.4%), and machinery and equipment (7.9%) sustained this growth in overall industrial production.
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