Industrial expansion is the greatest in 5 years, says CNI
Folha de S. Paulo - 05/06/2008
Taking advantage of the heated consumption and the need to replace stocks, the industrial sector registered the best growth rhythm of the last five years in the first quarter of 2008 compared to the fourth quarter of the previous year, according to the survey released by CNI (National Confederation of the Industry) yesterday. In the analysis with 2007's first quarter, the results from January to March of this year are also positive, with the indexes presenting high levels of expansion. This good performance, however, may not be repeated in the second quarter. According to CNI, there is a trend of slight accommodation of the production between April and June. "The resumption of the increase in interest, the appreciated exchange rate, and the competition of the domestic product compared to the foreign point to a small reduction in the rhythm of expansion", assessed CNI Executive Manager, Flávio Castelo Branco. According to CNI, in the comparison of the last year's first and fourth quarters, the industries registered an average increase of 1.8% in sales, 2.1% in worked hours in production, and 1.1% in the employed staff. Bearing in mind this base of comparison, these were the greatest variations since 2003. In relation to the first three months of 2007, the variations of the indexes in the first quarter of 2008 are even more significant. The increases were: 7.6% in sales, 6% in worked hours, and 4.9% in employees. The segments with the best performances are car makers, manufacturers of machinery and equipment, food and beverage, and steel industries. In a context of expansion, the sector has registered stability in the use of the installed capacity, with the index at 83.1% remaining practically at the same level in the last six months. According to CNI, the increase in the production, combined with the stability in the use of the industrial park, indicates the ripening of investments.