Rio, 10/16/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - In seven of the twelve locations surveyed in the statistical bureau (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística) (IBGE) monthly Industry Survey, output was negative. Compared with August 2002, Brazilian nationwide industrial production was down 1.8%. The worse performance was in the state of Bahia, down 11.4%. It was down 2.5% in Ceará, as well. In the Northeast region as a whole, industrial output was down 6.9%.

In the South region, industrial production was down 6.5% in Santa Catarina. In the Southeast region, it was down 4.6% in Rio de Janeiro.

The bright spots were in Espirito Santo, up 11.6% (the regional leader in industrial output). Followed by Pernambuco, up 6.7%, São Paulo, up 1%; and Minas Gerais, up 0.1%. The rise in industrial output in Pernambuco was the first since February, and the first in São Paulo since April.

On the downside, Rio industrial output was down for the fifth consecutive month.

The IBGE says that in spite of the numbers there are signs of an upturn. Between the months of July and August, there was nationwide growth of 1.5%. "Industrial expansion is occurring in areas where there are exports and petroleum extraction. The biggest drops in output took place in areas which produce for the domestic market," says an explanatory note from the IBGE. (AB)