Brasília, 3/29/2004 (Agência Brasil) - The National Industrial Confederation (CNI) reports that the industrial sector installed capacity utilization rate fell last year, which means there is room for increased productivity without the danger of rising costs or prices.

According to the CNI, the fact is that the country's installed capacity utilization rate (ICUR) has fallen for the last three years during which time industrial output rose at an annual rate of less than 1% and the ICUR fell an average 2%. However, the drop was most pronounced among small businesses, as large corporations were able to rely on the export market when domestic demand fell.

Thus, for example, the ICUR fell 4% in Non-metallic Minerals, Beverages, Pharmaceuticals and Plastics. (translator: Allen Bennett)