The Brazilian industry showed an increase in the index that measures the sector's business confidence, for the first time in 2022. Data on the Industrial Business Confidence Index (ICEI) were released yesterday (12) by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI).

The ICEI went from 55.4 points in March to 56.8 points in April, advancing 1.4 percentage points: “the 1.4 point advance reverses the 1.3 point drop in the first quarter of this year”, informs the CNI.

The entity explains that the ICEI ranges from 0 to 100 points. Values above 50 points indicate confidence in the economic scenario. Below this margin, it indicates a lack of confidence.

According to the manager of Economic Analysis at CNI, Marcelo Azevedo, the index advanced, after a sequence of three setbacks. In part, this improvement is explained by the vision of entrepreneurs in relation to the current moment of the economy.

This month, the Current Conditions Index, which makes up the ICEI and measures the perception of conditions in the last six months, rose one point to 49.9 points.

“Because it is very close to the 50-point dividing line, the indicator shows a neutral perception of current conditions in relation to the past six months, contrary to what had been happening since the beginning of the year, when the view was more negative”, he explains. Acevedo.

The Expectations Index, which reflects the business outlook for the six months ahead, advanced 1.6 points to 60.2 points in April.

The CNI survey interviewed 1,459 companies between April 1 and 7, 2022. Of this total, 564 are small; 577 medium-sized; and 318 large.