RIO DE JANEIRO--Brazil's copper products industry shed nearly 3%
of its work force during the first half of 2012, amid international
market turbulence and competition from imports, Brazilian copper
producer association Sindicel said Tuesday.
Job numbers in copper processing were reduced by 499 to 17,795
during the period, Sindicel said in a statement. Job losses were
greatest in the wire and cables sector, which accounted for 460 of
the total, it said. This sector provides raw materials for
electrical energy projects and the building industry.
In line with other Brazilian industrial sectors, copper
processors have been feeling the effects of the international
financial crisis and facing difficulties in competing with other
countries' products, Sindicel said.
"Forecasts are being revised. We hope for a slight recovery in
the second half," said Sindicel's executive director, Valdemir
Romero. "But we don't see jobs growth exceeding 3%."
The copper-processing industry had initially forecast 10% growth
in job numbers in 2012 from 2011 levels, Sindicel said.
Write to Diana Kinch at diana.kinch@dowjones.com
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