SAO PAULO, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Industrial production in Brazil failed to expand in December from November, posting 0.0 percent growth, government statistics agency IBGE said on Friday.

Production had been expected to shrink 0.35 percent, according to the median estimate of 27 analysts in a Reuters survey. The forecasts ranged from a 1.3 percent drop to a 0.3 percent rise.

December's industrial production contracted 3.6 percent from a year earlier, less than the 4.7 percent decline forecast in the Reuters survey. Estimates for the drop ranged from 1.8 percent to 5.7 percent.

In 2012, Brazil's industrial output contracted 2.7 percent.

(Reporting by Asher Levine Editing by W Simon) Keywords: BRAZIL ECONOMY/INDUSTRY

(asher.levine@thomsonreuters.com)(+55-11-5644-7756)(Reuters Messaging: asher.levine1.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)

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