The Industry Confidence Index (ICI), calculated by the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), increased 0.8 point from June to July this year and reached 108.4 points, on a scale from zero to 200. This was the third increase consecutive indicator, which reached the highest value since January this year (111.3 points).

The increase was mainly driven by the Expectations Index, which measures the confidence of Brazilian industry businessmen in relation to the future, which rose by 0.9 point. With this, which was the third consecutive increase, the indicator reached 104.9 points.

The Current Situation Index, which assesses the perception of businesspeople about the present, rose 0.5 point and reached 111.8 points.

Lack of inputs 

Despite the rise in the ICI, there was a slowdown in relation to June growth (3.4 points). "Companies still face a scenario of scarcity of inputs, possibility of energy rationing and high economic uncertainty, factors that tend to limit a more expressive rise in confidence in the coming months," said FGV economist Claudia Perdigão.

The Installed Capacity Utilization Level increased by 0.7 percentage point, going to 80.1%, the highest value since November 2014 (80.3%).