Industrial activity grew 4.3% over the past year, after having presented a drop of 2.7% in December compared to the same month of 2021, the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (Indec) reported this Wednesday.
Meanwhile, activity in the construction sector accumulated an improvement of 3.5% compared to the previous year, after closing December with a decrease of 10.6% year-on-year.
In the last month of last year, the manufacturing sector showed a decline of 1.2% compared to November, and construction a drop of 3.5%.
In December, 11 of the 16 divisions of the manufacturing industry presented year-on-year falls. In order to its incidence at the general level, decreases of 15.8% were registered in “Furniture and mattresses and other manufacturing industries”; 3.8% in “Chemical substances and products”; 1.6% in “Food and beverages”.
There were also falls of 7.6% in “Rubber and plastic”; 6.1% in “Clothing, leather and footwear”; 7.4% in “Automotive vehicles, bodies, trailers and auto parts”; 3.2% in “Wood, paper, publishing and printing”; 7.8% in “Textile Products”; 1.8% in “Non-metallic minerals”; 2.7% in “Other equipment, apparatus and instruments”; and 12.9% in “Other transportation equipment”.
On the other hand, increases of 4.9% were observed in “Oil refining, coke and nuclear fuel”; 1.8% in “Basic metal industries”; 1.4% in “Machinery and equipment”; 1.5% in “Metal products” and 5.5% in “Tobacco”.
According to the qualitative survey carried out by INDEC among businessmen, 26.4% of those consulted considered that internal demand will continue to rise until March inclusive, against 24.7% who anticipated a decline, while the remaining 48.9 % does not anticipate major changes.
As for the exports22.8% of those consulted anticipated a decrease, compared to 20.2% who anticipated an increase, while the remaining 57% did not anticipate major variations.
In the sector of constructionFor its part, the consumption of inputs in December 2022 showed, in relation to the same month of the previous year, increases of 16.8% in faucets, seamless steel tubes and glass for construction; 15% in granite and calcareous mosaics; and 2.4% in plasterboard.
On the contrary, decreases of 23.1% year-on-year were observed in construction paints; 22.8% in ceramic floors and coverings; 22.6% in hollow bricks; 19.8% in limes; 18.5% in asphalt; 15.7% in plaster; 9% in portland cement; 7% in round iron and steel for construction; 4.7% in ceramic sanitary ware; and 2.3% in finished concrete.
As for the sector expectations until Marchamong the construction companies that are mainly dedicated to private works, 22.8% projected that the activity will grow, against 16.4% that anticipate a setback, and 60.8% that do not expect major changes.
Regarding the companies that are mainly dedicated to the public work31.9% of those consulted anticipated that activity will increase in the first months of 2023, compared to 18.6% who expect a decline.
