Rio - For the second consecutive month, the number of new jobs in the Brazilian industrial sector outran layoffs. In June, the number of people with jobs rose 0.5%, following an increase of 1.1% in May. The increase in the tempo of industrial activity in 2004 results from more jobs being offered as confirmed by quarterly indexes which show jobs rose 0.4% between the three month period ending in May and the one ending in June. That is the highest increase since March 2003.

Another indication of industrial growth is payroll expansion, which rose 8.9% in the first half.

All the numbers are from the Monthly Industrial Survey of Jobs and Wages (Pimes) by the government statistical bureau (IBGE - Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística).

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Daisy Nascimento
Translator: Allen Bennett
08/18/2004