In April 2026, the national industrial production advanced 0.7% compared to March, the fourth consecutive positive rate, accumulating an expansion of 4.4% in this period. Compared to April of last year, industry increased production by 2.7%, after advancing 4.4% in March.

The year-to-date figure was 1.7% compared to the first four months of 2025. Over the last 12 months, there was an increase of 0.7%. The quarterly moving average in April was 0.7%.

In the positive change of 0.7% in industrial activity from March to April 2026, two of the broad economic categories and 14 of the 25 industrial sectors surveyed showed an increase in production.

It is worth noting that, with these results, industrial production is 4.7% above the pre-pandemic level (February 2020); but it is still 12.9% below the record level reached in May 2011.

Among the activities, the most significant positive influences were noted by mining and quarrying industries (3.1%) and coke, petroleum products and biofuels (3.1%), both growing for the fifth consecutive month.

Other relevant positive contributions to the total industry came from rubber and plastic products (3.1%), wood products (8.5%), textile products (4.1%) and electrical machinery, appliances and equipment (2.2%).

On the other hand, among the eleven activities that showed a decline in production, the chemical products sector (-3.9%) exerted the main influence on the industry average and eliminated part of the 4.5% advance seen in March. Also noteworthy are the negative impacts of the pharmaceutical and chemical products sector (-6.0%), machinery and equipment (-2.9%), motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (-0.7%), and basic metals (-1.0%).

Among the broad economic categories, also in comparison with the preceding month, intermediate goods (1.5%) showed the greatest expansion in April and grew for the fourth consecutive month, accumulating growth of 6.0%. The capital goods sector (0.1%) also advanced this month, thus maintaining the positive trend initiated in January 2026 and accumulating a gain of 6.7% in this period. On the other hand, the segments of semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (-0.2%) and durable consumer goods (-3.2%) registered a decline in April 2026. Both interrupted three consecutive months of expansion in production.

Moving average was 0.7% in the quarter ending in April

The evolution of the quarterly moving average index for total industry showed growth of 0.7% in the quarter ended in April 2026 compared to the level of March, maintaining the upward trend initiated in December 2025.

Among the broad economic categories, intermediate goods (1.2%) and capital goods (1.2%) recorded the sharpest positive rates in the quarter ending in April. Intermediate goods continued the upward trend initiated in January 2026, and capital goods marked the second consecutive positive result, accumulating a gain of 3.3% in this period.

The sector producing semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (0.3%) also showed expansion in the moving quarter ending in April and remained on the upward trend that began in July 2025. On the other hand, the durable consumer goods segment (-0.2%) registered the only negative rate and interrupted two consecutive months of production growth, a period in which it accumulated an advance of 3.8%.

Compared to April 2025, industry grows 2.7%

In comparison with the same month of 2025, industry expanded 2.7% in April, with positive results in two of the four broad economic categories, eight of the 25 branches, 33 of the 80 groups, and 46.4% of the 789 products surveyed. April 2026 had the same number of working days as April 2025 (20 days).

Among the activities, the main positive influences were recorded by coke, petroleum products and biofuels (13.3%), mining and quarrying industries (10.6%) and food products (3.2%). Coke and petroleum products were largely driven by increased production of ethyl alcohol, diesel fuel, aviation kerosene and motor gasoline. Mining and quarrying industries, in turn, were greatly impacted by the increased production of crude oil, iron ore and natural gas. Food products were driven by the expansion in the production of VHP, crystal and refined sugar, frozen, fresh or chilled poultry meat and offal, dried, salted or smoked pork meat and edible offal, animal feed and fresh or chilled pork.

Other important positive contributions were noted by the rubber and plastic products sector (3.8%) and the motor vehicles, trailers and bodies sector (1.4%).

On the other hand, still comparing with April 2025, among the 17 activities that showed a reduction in production, chemical products (-4.5%) and machinery and equipment (-7.0%) exerted the greatest negative influences. In chemical products, the main negative pressures came from chemical fertilizers of NPK formulas, fungicides for agricultural use, insecticides for agricultural, domestic and industrial uses, linear polyethylene, rodenticides and other pesticides for agricultural use, unsaturated ethylene, deodorants, paints and varnishes for construction, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and superphosphates. In machinery and equipment, there was an influence from the decreases recorded for wall, window or portable air conditioners (including "split system" type), harvesting machines, grain cleaning and sorting machines, and fans and hoods (exhausters) for industrial use.

Other negative impacts were noted in the sectors of fabricated metal products (-4.5%), wearing apparel and accessories (-6.5%), other transportation equipment (-7.9%), pulp, paper and paper products (-2.7%), basic metals (-1.7%), and leather goods, travel goods and footwear (-5.4%).

Also in comparison with the same month of the previous year, intermediate goods (3.8%) and semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods (3.2%) showed positive results among the broad economic categories in April 2026. On the other hand, the sectors producing durable consumer goods (-3.4%) and capital goods (-4.3%) showed negative rates in this month.

The 3.8% increase in intermediate goods was the fourth consecutive positive rate compared to the same month of the previous year and the highest since May 2025 (5.3%). The April result was mainly explained by advances in products associated with mining and quarrying industries (10.6%), coke, petroleum products and biofuels (8.7%), food products (8.6%), rubber and plastic products (4.2%), motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (1.1%), and textile products (1.0%).

Negative pressures were registered by chemical products (-5.7%), fabricate metal products (-4.1%), basic metals (-1.7%), pulp, paper and paper products (-3.5%), non-metallic mineral products (-1.0%), and machinery and equipment (-2.0%). Also in intermediate goods, it is worth mentioning the negative results recorded by the groups of typical inputs for civil construction (-3.6%), which showed the eleventh consecutive negative rate; and packaging (-0.5%), which retreated again after advancing 0.3% in March 2026, when it interrupted two consecutive months of decline in this type of comparison.

Production of semi-durable and non-durable consumer goods grew 3.2% in April 2026 compared to April 2025, the second consecutive positive rate, although less intense than that observed in March (4.7%). The positive performance in this month was largely explained by the growth observed in the fuel group (23.4%), influenced by advances in the production of ethyl alcohol and motor gasoline. There were also positive results in the food and beverage groups prepared for domestic consumption (0.5%) and non-durable goods (1.0%), driven mainly by increased production of frozen, fresh or chilled poultry meat and offal, dried, salted or smoked pork meat and edible offal, refined sugar, yogurt, dry pasta, sausages or salami and other pork preparations, mineral waters and fish preparations and preserves, in the first group; and medicines, vaccines and serums, powdered soaps or detergents, cigarettes and surface-active preparations for washing and cleaning (for domestic use), in the second.

On the other hand, the semi-durable goods (-4.6%) and basic food and beverages for domestic consumption (-45.5%) groups showed negative rates in April 2026, largely pressured by lower production of women's matching sets (knitted or not), blouses, shirts and similar items (knitted or not), sandals and flip-flops made of synthetic material, trousers (knitted or not), bermuda shorts, overalls, shorts and similar items (knitted or not), dresses (knitted or not), shirts, t-shirts, blouses and similar items for professional use (knitted or not), adult apparel, kidswear and accessories (knitted or not), video discs (DVDs), men's sneakers, mattresses and women's leather shoes, in the first; and fillets and other meats of fresh, chilled or frozen fish and frozen fish, in the second.

Compared to April 2025, the durable consumer goods segment, with a 3.4% decline, again registered a drop in production after advancing 18.6% in March, when it had interrupted four consecutive months of declines. In April, the sector was largely pressured by declines in the groups of other household appliances (-27.7%) and furniture (-3.3%). On the other hand, the main positive impacts came from "white goods" (10.3%) and "brown goods" (8.6%), cars (1.0%) and motorcycles (5.8%).

The capital goods sector showed a 4.3% reduction in April 2026 compared to the same month of the previous year, after advancing 6.6% in March, when it interrupted nine consecutive months of negative rates. In the formation of the April index, the segment was mainly influenced by the declines observed in groups of capital goods for miscellaneous (-15.7%) and agricultural purposes (-14.7%). Other negative results were recorded by the groups of capital goods for industrial (-3.0%) and electricity purposes (-1.0%). On the other hand, the subsectors of capital goods for transportation equipment (2.5%) and for construction (6.9%) showed positive impacts on the monthly index for April 2026.

First four months grow 1.7% compared to the same period in 2025

The cumulative index for the year, compared to the same period of the previous year, showed an advance of 1.7%, with positive results in three of the four broad economic categories, nine of the 25 branches, 30 of the 80 groups, and 42.2% of the 789 products surveyed. Among the activities, the main positive influences were recorded by mining and quarrying industries (9.3%), coke, petroleum products and biofuels (5.0%), and food products (2.7%). mining and quarrying industries were largely driven by increased production of crude petroleum, iron ore, and natural gas. Coke, petroleum products and biofuels were impacted by advances in the production of ethyl alcohol, diesel fuel, aviation kerosene, naphtha, and fuel oils. The food products sector was mainly influenced by frozen poultry meat and offal, concentrated orange juice, crystal and VHP sugar, frozen, fresh or chilled pork, animal feed, fresh or chilled beef, dried, salted or smoked edible pork meat and offal, refined soybean oil, and yogurt.

Other sectors with notable growth in the first four months of 2026 were: pharmaceutical and chemical products (11.1%), motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (2.0%), and beverages (2.2%).

On the other hand, in the first four months of 2025, among the 16 activities that showed a reduction in production, machinery and equipment (-8.7%) had the greatest impact, largely driven by lower production of air conditioning equipment.

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