In the seasonally-adjusted series, volume of services in Brazil changed 0.1% in May 2025 over the previous month. As a result, the services sector was 17.5% above the pre-pandemic level (February 2020) and equals the peak of the time series (October 2024).

In the seasonally-unadjusted series, volume of services advanced 3.6% over May 2024, the 14th positive rate in a row. The cumulative index in the year reached 2.5% and the cumulative index in 12 months in May 2025 (3.0%) accelerated its growth pace over April 2025 (2.7%).

In the seasonally-adjusted series, the change of 0.1% in volume of services in May 2025 was followed by three out of five activities investigated, highlighted by professional, administrative and complementary services (0.9%), which accumulated a gain of 2.9% in the last four months. The other advances came from other services (1.5%), recovering part of the loss of 2.1%registered between March and April, and from information and communication (0.4%), with the second consecutive increase and cumulative gain of 0.5%.

In contrast, transportation (-0.3%) and services rendered to families (-0.6%) recorded the negative rates this month, with the first sector eliminating a small portion of the cumulative gain between February and April (3.1%) and the latter with the second consecutive negative result, with a cumulative loss of 0.7%.

The quarterly moving average was 0.3% in the quarter ended in May 2025, compared to the previous month. Among the sectors, still in the seasonally-adjusted series, the positive behavior of the services sector, in this type of indicator, was followed by three out of five activities: transportation (0.7%), professional, administrative and complementary services (0.5%) and services rendered to families (0.3%). On the other hand, information and communication (-0.2%) and other services (-0.2%) showed a slight decrease in May.

Compared with May 2024, volume of services advanced 3.6%, its 14th positive rate in a row. The result of this month was followed by four out of five activities and counted also with the growth in 56.6% of the 166 types of services investigated.

Among the sectors, information and communication (6.2%) and transportation, support services to transportation and mailing (3.2%) reported the main positive impacts, mainly driven by the increasing revenue in portals, content providers and other information services on the Internet; technical support, maintenance and other information technology services; software development and licensing; data treatment, application service providers and Internet hosting services; and on-demand development of computer programs, in the first sector; and air transportation of passengers; cargo logistics; pipeline transportation; inland cargo navigation; and airport operation, in the second one.

The other advances came from professional, administrative and complementary services (3.9%) and services rendered to families (2.1%), explained, to a great extent, by a higher revenue coming from agencying of advertisement; organization, promotion and management of fairs, congresses and conventions; consulting in business management; intermediation of businesses in general through e-commerce platforms or applications; and administration of discount cards or rewards programs, in the first sector; and of hotels; catering services and other services of cooked food, in the last one.

In contrast, other services (-1.4%) exerted the only negative influence, mainly pressured by a lower revenue coming from auxiliary financial services; credit card administration; and health, complementary social security and insurance brokers.

The cumulative index from January to May 2025, compared to the same period of the previous year, was 2.5%, with four out of five dissemination activities pointing out positive rates and a growth in 59.6% of the 166 types of services investigated. Among the sectors, the most important positive contribution came from the sector of information and communication (6.1%), leveraged, to a great extent, by the increase in the revenue of companies that work in the segments of portals, content providers and other information services on the Internet; software development and licensing; data handling, application services providers and hosting services on the Internet; on-demand development of computer programs; consulting in information technology; and telecommunications.

The other advances came from transportation, support services to transportation and mailing (1.5%); professional, administrative and complementary services (2.2%); and services rendered to families (2.2%), mainly explained by the increase in the revenue of companies that work with passenger air transportation; cargo logistics; management of ports and terminals; and pipeline transportation, in the first sector; of agencying of advertisement; intermediation of businesses in general through e-commerce platforms or applications; consulting in business management; and organization, promotion and management of fairs, congresses and conventions, in the second one; and of restaurants; hotels; and catering services, in the last one.

On the other hand, other services (-2.4%) exerted the only negative influence, largely pressed by a lower revenue from auxiliary financial services; administration of credit cards; management of funds by contract or commission; and maintenance and repair of motor vehicles.

Services grow in nine out of 27 Federation Units in May

In regional terms, few (9) of the 27 Federation Units registered an expansion in volume of services in May 2025, compared to the immediately preceding month, highlighting the slight increase in Brazil's outcome (0.1%).

The biggest positive impacts came from São Paulo (0.8%) and Rio de Janeiro (1.8%), followed by Mato Grosso (2.5%) and Minas Gerais (0.5%). In contrast, Federal District (-3.2%) and Pernambuco (-3.9%) exerted the main negative influences of the month.

Compared with May 2024, the advance in volume of services in Brazil (3.6%) was followed by 21 out of 27 Federation Units. The most important positive contribution was with São Paulo (5.6%), followed by Rio de Janeiro (2.7%), Santa Catarina (5.7%), Minas Gerais (2.4%), Paraná (2.6%) and Federal District (4.9%). In the opposite direction, Rio Grande do Sul (-9.2%) led the losses of the month, followed by Bahia (-0.9%), Tocantins (-5.7%) and Pernambuco (-0.7%).

From January to May 2025, compared to the same period of 2024, the advance in volume of services in Brazil (2.5%) occurred in 21 out of 27 FUs. The main positive impact in regional terms occurred in São Paulo (3.8%), followed by Rio de Janeiro (2.4%), Santa Catarina (5.0%) and Federal District (6.7%). On the other hand, Rio Grande do Sul (-10.4%) recorded the most important negative influence on the national index.

Tourism activities retreat 0.7% in May

In May 2025, the index of tourism activities retreated 0.7% compared to the immediately preceding month, after having advanced 3.2% in April. As a result, the tourism segment was 12.4% above the level of February 2020 and 1.1% below the peak of its time series, reached in December 2024.

Nine out of 17 places surveyed followed this drop movement registered in the national tourism activity (-0.7%). The most relevant negative influence was with São Paulo (-2.7%), followed by Pernambuco (-3.3%), Bahia (-1.8%) and Goiás (-4.3%). In the opposite direction, Rio de Janeiro (2.3%) and Paraná (2.6%) led tourism gains this month.

In the May 2025-May 2024 comparison, the index of volume of tourism activities in Brazil expanded 9.5%, the 12th consecutive positive result, mainly driven by the increase in the revenue of companies operating in passenger air transportation; hotels; catering services; and reservation services related to accommodation.

In regional terms, 16 out of 17 Federation Units where the indicator is investigated showed advances in tourism services, especially Rio de Janeiro (22.2%) and São Paulo (6.1%), followed by Rio Grande do Sul (49.8%), Bahia (12.5%) and Paraná (10.6%). In contrast, Minas Gerais (-1.7%) exerted the only negative impact of the month.

From January to May 2025, the special aggregate of tourism activities expanded 7.0%compared to the same period last year, driven mainly by the revenue increases obtained by companies of passenger air transportation; restaurants; and reservation services related to accommodation. In regional terms, 15 out of 17 places surveyed also recorded positive rates, highlighted by São Paulo (6.4%) and Rio de Janeiro (15.4%), followed by Bahia (10.7%), Santa Catarina (9.7%) and Paraná (5.7%). In the opposite direction, Mato Grosso (-5.9%) and Minas Gerais (-0.5%) reported the only losses in tourism.

Passenger transportation (3.3%) grew, while that of cargo (-0.5%) decreased

In the seasonally-adjusted series, volume of passenger transportation in Brazil expanded 3.3% in May 2025 over the immediately previous month, the fourth consecutive positive figure, a period in which it accumulated a gain of 11.4%. Therefore, the segment was, in this reference month, 9.4% above the level of February 2020 (pre-pandemic) and 16.0% below February 2014 (peak of the time series).

In its turn, volume of cargo transportation decreased by 0.5% in May 2025, the second consecutive retreat, a period in which it accumulated a loss of 0.7%. Therefore, the segment was 7.3% below the peak of its time series (July 2023). Regarding the pre-pandemic level, cargo transportation was 34.4% above February 2020.

In the comparison with May 2024, passenger transportation rose 15.1% in May 2025, the ninth consecutive positive result, while cargo transportation advanced 0.7%, interrupting six consecutive drops.

In the first five months of 2025, passenger transportation grew 5.9% compared to the same period of 2024, while that of cargo fell 1.3% in the same period.