The Use of Installed Capacity (UCI) of the industries closed in 68% in February, in comparison with January, informed today (17) the National Confederation of the Industry (CNI). According to the entity, the percentage is lower than that recorded in the same period last year, but remains at the average value for the months of February and close to the pre-pandemic level.
“The UCI is lower than that recorded in the same month of the last year, but in that period the industry was coming from a few months of exceptionally high activity, due to the recovery after the months of stoppage generated by the pandemic”, said the CNI.
The information is part of the Industrial Survey bulletin, which also provides information on the evolution of production, evolution of the number of jobs, of inventories, among other indicators.
The indices evaluated by the CNI range from 0 to 10. Values above 50 indicate an increase in employment, a higher-than-expected stock or a higher-than-usual utilization of installed capacity. Values below 50 indicate that the activity level is below usual.
According to the entity, in February, the production evolution index was 47.9 points, a result that is below the 50-point dividing line, which separates the fall and the growth of production. This is the third consecutive month of decline.
“Even so, the indicator rose 4.8 points compared to January, in a show of decline was less intense and less widespread”, said the CNI.
The bulletin also points out that industrial employment also continues to fall for the third consecutive month. In February, the indicator related to the evolution of the number of jobs stood at 49.2 points, slightly better than the one registered in January, when it closed at 48.8 points.
“It should be noted, however, that the index has been approaching the dividing line of 50 points, which reveals that the fall in employment is becoming smaller and less widespread among companies”, said the entity.
Inventories increased in February 2022 and remain just above the planned level. The stock level evolution index registered 50.5 points in February. This value was close to the 50-point dividing line, indicating that there was a moderate increase in inventories between January and February 2022. The indicator of the effective inventory level compared to planned registered 50.4 points in February 2022, which, according to the confederation, shows that the effective stock level remains close to the level planned by the companies.
“Inventories are in a trend of stability and in February they registered a small increase, with a result slightly above the planned by the companies”, said the CNI.
For the research, 1,870 companies were interviewed, being 753 small, 659 medium and 458 large, during the period from March 3 to 11.
