Cristiane Ribeiro
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Rio - Brazilian industry hired fewer workers in 2005 than in 2004, according to the Study of Industrial Employment and Salaries, released today (15) by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

According to the institute, the downward trend in industrial employment began in the final quarter of last year. Employment was off 0.7% during the period from October to December, 2005.

Employment grew in ten industrial sectors in 2005. The outstanding performers were the food and beverage sector (7.1%), transportation equipment (9.0%), and metal goods (4.6%). Job losses were greatest in the shoe and leather goods sector (-11.7%), wood (-9.0%), and clothing (-3.6%).

The coordinator of the study, Isabela Nunes Pereira, explained that the slowdown in industrial employment reflects the sluggish pace of industrial production over the course of last year, together with the high basis of comparison set in 2004, when industry grew 8.3%, considered an exceptional performance. Industrial production grew 3.1% in Brazil in 2005.

Translation: David Silberstein