Rio, September 17, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - For the second consecutive month, Brazilian industry raised the real value of workers' payrolls. Between June and July the increased amounted to 0.4%, according to the Survey of Industrial Employment and Salaries, released today by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The indicators point to a gradual recovery in payroll values, since between the quarters ending in May and June of this year, there was a gain of 0.4%.

In relation to July, 2002, 13 of the 14 localities covered by the survey showed payroll reductions. The real loss came to 3.4%, forced down by industries in Bahia (-10.7%) and Rio de Janeiro (-8.9%). Nevertheless, according to the IBGE, it was the industries of São Paulo (-3.0%) and, consequently, the Southeast region (-3.7) that had the largest impact on the overall result.

In the cumulative indicator for the year, only the industries of the North and Center-West regions (3.0%) increased the value of employee payrolls. The largest declines were observed in Rio de Janeiro (-11.4%) and Bahia (-10.1%). (DAS)