Brazil’s industrial production rose for the second consecutive month, with 0.4% in February from January this year. The accumulated growth rate after 2014’s first two months stands at 1.3%. The data were released on Wednesday by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (“IBGE”), and show that over the last 12 months the industry expanded 1.1% against the previous 12-month period.

IBGE further points out that the two consecutive rises are taking place after a period in which the country’s industry faced steep declines, also for two periods in a row: a drop of 2.6% in December 2013, and 2.2% in January 2014. According to the institute, Brazil’s industry maintained its progress in February in a large number of sectors. Increases were reported in three out of the four so-called categories of use, as well as in 19 of the 27 activities surveyed.

Among the categories of use, durable consumer goods presented the most significant advance: from –3.9% in the October-December period in 2013 to 6.9% in the first two months this year. The main activity in this category (48%) is the production of motor vehicles.

The division of industrial output according to the so-called categories of use was devised by IBGE and aims “better to clarify the evolution of industrial activity in the short run.” The categories are capital goods; intermediate goods; durable, semi-durable, and nondurable goods.