• Mexico: Industrial activity accelerates in June; Heavy vehicle exports and production rebound in July

MEXICO: INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY ACCELERATES IN JUNE

In June, Mexico’s Monthly Industrial Activity Indicator (IMAI) increased by 1.7% year over year, based on original figures. By component, and also in annual terms, all sectors posted positive variations. Mining grew by 6.6%, driven by services related to mining (81.9%); utilities rose by 0.7%; construction increased by 5.0%, with all of its components in positive territory; while manufacturing advanced only 0.1%, with notable gains in other manufacturing industries (6.7%), electronic equipment manufacturing (5.8%), and the chemical industry (5.3%). On a monthly basis, using seasonally adjusted figures, industrial activity rose by 0.2%, mining by 0.6%, utilities by 0.9%, construction by 3.0%, while manufacturing declined by 0.6%. 

Chart 1: Mexico: Industrial Production

HEAVY VEHICLE EXPORTS AND PRODUCTION REBOUND IN JULY

In July, the heavy vehicle sector continued to improve across almost all of its components. Retail sales totaled 3,043 units, representing a 9.9% annual decline, while wholesale sales reached 2,590 units and grew by 19.1%. On the production side, 14,675 units were manufactured and 13,117 were exported, implying double-digit annual increases of 51.8% and 66.7%, respectively. However, the year-to-date balance remains weak: retail sales totaled 19,115 units, equivalent to a 20.1% decline; production reached 85,551 units, down 6.12%; and exports totaled 71,377 units, down 6.10%. The exception was wholesale sales, which accumulated 17,566 units and maintained growth of 5.4%. 

Chart 2: Mexico: Heavy-Duty Vehicles Trade

—Rodolfo Mitchell, Miguel Saldaña & Martha Cordova