Brazil Industrial Output Shrinks 0.4%

(RTTNews) - Brazil's industrial production decreased less than expected in September after rebounding in the previous month, preliminary data from the statistical office IBGE showed on Tuesday.

Industrial production dropped 0.4 percent month-on-month in September, reversing a 0.7 percent increase in August. Economists had expected a decrease of 0.5 percent.

Among the activities, the most significant negative influences were noted in pharmaceutical and chemical products with a decline of 9.7 percent. Production in the extractive industries contracted 1.6 percent, while the food products industry logged an expansion of 1.9 percent.

Considering major economic categories, durable goods output fell 1.4 percent monthly in September, and that of intermediate goods slid by 0.4 percent. The consumer goods division also fell 0.1 percent, while capital goods production rose somewhat by 0.1 percent.

On a yearly basis, industrial production advanced 2.0 percent versus an expected increase of 1.7 percent.