Among the sectors that see a challenging environment in the coming years is that of capital goods, sensitive to the demand for expansion of capacity in other areas of the economy. For Mario Bernardini, economic adviser to the president of Brazilian Association of Machinery and Equipment (Abimaq), 2011 was disappointing because there was a perception that the government would give priority to investments. "With the government's promises, we predicted real growth of 10% of revenue in the capital goods sector," he said. According to the National Industry Confederation (CNI), until October, industry sales, adjusted for inflation, grew 5.9% over the same period in 2010.

To Humberto Barbato, president of the Brazilian Association of Electrical and Electronics Industries (Abinee), the problem is that the loss of competitiveness has raised questions of the companies, when deciding where to invest, on the feasibility of continuing to produce in Brazil. "It's an industry that has international production, and therefore will look at which countries it is more feasible to invest," he said. Abinee, after a decline of 15% in investment observed in 2011, sees recovery this year, an increase of 13%, to $ 3.4 billion. Barbato minimizes the numbers, stating that this amount represents 2% of sales, less than the average between 3% and 4%, and should focus on upgrading the current industrial park, and the construction of new plants.

For Mario Bernardini, advisor Abimaq, the current growth rate of Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF, or the measure of national accounts that are invested in construction and capital goods) is insufficient to raise the investment rate today 20% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Bernardini estimates that the segment of capital goods would have to grow 10% annually to reach the rate the government's target of 22.4% by 2014.