LatinNews Daily - 05 October 2026

*Brazil’s national statistics institute (Ibge) has released the industrial production figures for August, which showed a 0.6% monthly drop and a 1.2% year-on-year decrease in production. Meanwhile, the accumulated annual production in the 12 months through August 2026 posted an increase of only 0.6% on the preceding 12-month period. The monthly drop in August continues to highlight the struggles of the industrial sector. Despite a slight monthly rise of 0.1% in July, Brazil’s industrial sector posted monthly declines of 1.6% in June and 1.0% in May. In August this year, 16 of the 25 product categories measured by the Ibge posted monthly decreases. The greatest drops in production were registered in smoking products (-23.4%), pharmaceutical products (-5.5%), and computer equipment and electronic and optical products (-4.0%).