Service sector grows 2.2% in April and reaches best result in last three years

Agência Brasil

54.2% of the 166 types of services investigated showed increase in the comparison between April 2018 and the same month in 2017

The service sector, which corresponds to 70% of the Brazilian Gross Domestic Product (GDP), grew 2.2% in April in relation to the same period last year. When compared to March 2018, there was a 1% increase, the year's first hike. According to data released this Thursday (14) by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), results for the month of April were the best since 2015.

The sector recorded growth in four of the five studied activities, with transport standing out. According to the IBGE survey, 54.2% of the 166 types of services looked at showed an increase when comparing April 2018 with the same month in 2017.

Transport, auxiliary services to transportation and mail are among the activities that experienced the main positive impact. They were boosted by the increase in revenue in road freight, passenger transport, air transport, mail and airport operations.

In state terms, the increase in the annual comparison was verified in 12 of the 27 federative units: Espírito Santo (9.6%), Roraima (8.6%), Rio Grande do Sul (6.8%), Federal District (5.3%), São Paulo (5.1%), Mato Grosso do Sul (4.7%), Santa Catarina (4%), Mato Grosso (2%), Amazonas (1.8%), Goiás (1.8%), Minas Gerais (1%) and Rondônia (0.7%).

Tourism

In relation to April 2017, tourism activity related figures increased 2.2%, mainly driven by the hike in hotel and air transport services. Increases were identified in nine of the 12 states surveyed, with Espírito Santo (17.4%) standing out, as well as Santa Catarina (10.5%), Minas Gerais (5.9%), Rio Grande do Sul 8%) and São Paulo (3.0%). National tourism has started growing again, after 14 negative and one stable result. In fact, it has registered its highest result since September 2014 (3.7%).