Brazil: Industrial production plunges in September
Industrial production contracted for a third consecutive month in September. Industrial output fell 1.8% month-on-month in seasonally-adjusted terms, a starker drop than August’s revised 0.7% decrease (previously reported: -0.3% month-on-month). The print undershot market expectations of a 0.8% drop.
The decline was driven by sharp drops in the production of capital and consumer goods. Intermediate goods output also contracted but a less severe pace than in the previous month.
In annual terms, industrial production fell 2.0% in September, notably contrasting August’s revised 1.7% increase (previously reported: +2.0% year-on-year). Accordingly, annual average growth fell from 3.2% in August to 2.8% in September, the lowest reading in nine months.