Brazil Industrial Confidence Improves in October

Brazil’s Industrial Business Confidence Index rose 1.3 points to 46.2 in October 2026 from September. Despite the improvement, the index remained below the 50-point threshold, marking 22 consecutive months of pessimism in the industrial sector. The increase was driven entirely by improved expectations, particularly regarding companies’ own business conditions. The Expectations Index climbed 2.1 points to 49.3, with the component measuring expectations for companies’ own business conditions rising 1.0 point to 52.3. Expectations for Brazil’s economy increased 4.3 points to 43.4. Meanwhile, the Current Conditions Index fell 0.2 point to 40.0, its lowest level since July 2020. The decline reflected a more negative assessment of companies’ own conditions, with that component dropping 0.5 point to 43.3. In contrast, the assessment of Brazil’s economic conditions rose 0.3 point to 33.3.

Brazil’s Industrial Business Confidence Index fell 1.4 points to 44.9 in September 2026, remaining below the 50-point threshold and marking 21 consecutive months of pessimism. The Current Conditions Index dropped 2.5 points to 40.2, driven mainly by a more negative assessment of the economic environment. The index for Brazil’s economy fell 3.6 points to 33.0, while the measure of companies’ own conditions declined 1.9 point to 43.8. The Expectations Index also deteriorated, falling 0.9 point to 47.2, as expectations for the Brazilian economy dropped 0.6 point to 39.1. Expectations for companies’ own conditions fell 1.0 point to 51.3.

Brazil’s Industrial Business Confidence Index rose 1.9 points to 46.3 in August 2026 from 44.4 in July, ending a two-month streak of consecutive declines. Despite the improvement, the index remained below the 50-point threshold, marking the 20th consecutive month of lack of confidence. The Current Conditions Index rose 1.1 points to 42.7 as negative assessments became less intense and widespread. The improvement reflected better assessments of Brazil’s current economic conditions, which rose 1.9 points to 36.6, and companies’ own conditions, which increased 0.6 point to 45.7. The Expectations Index rose 2.3 points to 48.1, recovering part of the 3.1-point decline recorded in July and indicating that expectations for the next six months remained negative, although pessimism eased. Expectations for the Brazilian economy rose 2.5 points to 39.7, while expectations for companies’ own businesses increased 2.2 points to 52.3, signaling a return to optimism.