The National Index of Civil Construction (Sinapi), calculated by the IBGE, recorded a change of 0.14% in March, standing 0.16 percentage points below the 0.30% of the previous month. It was the lowest rate for a month of March since the Plano Real. The cumulative index in the last 12 months was 3.49%, below the 3.82% recorded in the prior twelve-month period. In March 2017, the index was 0.46%.

The national cost of construction, per square meter, which in February closed at R$1,072.87, in March increased to R$1,074.41: R$540.58 relative to material, while R$519.10 referred to labor force.

The share of materials changed 0.49%, registering a not much significant fall in relation to February (0.54%). Considering March of the previous year, this index recorded a significant increase, 0.43 percentage points, in view of the change of 0.06% in March 2017. The share of materials presented a negative change, -0.22%, falling 0.28 percentage points in relation to the previous month (0.06%). Comparing with March 2017 (0.90%), this year rate shows a substantial decrease, 1.12 percentage points. In 2017, two collective agreements were set, whereas no agreement was made in March this year.

The first quarter of the year closed at 1.54% (materials) and -0.12% (labor force), while the cumulative in 12 months stood at 3.59% (materials) and 3.45% (labor force).

Northeast Region registers highest monthly change

With a high in the share of materials in 8 states for the second consecutive month, the Northeast presented the biggest regional change in March, 0.32% The lowest rates were found in the North and South, which registered negative indexes, -0.02% and -0.01%, respectively, with some states presenting decrease in the material share. The remaining regions had the following results:  0.10% (Southeast) and 0.17% (Central-West).

The regional costs, per square meter, were: R$1,068.43 (North); R$1,002.21 (Northeast); R$1,120.50 (Southeast); R$1,110.57 (South) and R$1,086.88 (Central-West).

Rio Grande do Norte and Amapá recorded the biggest changes

With positive changes, both in materials and in labor force, Rio Grande do Norte, 0.72%, presented the biggest monthly rate.

Amapá, with -1.94% in the material share, mainly because of the cement price decrease, was the state with the biggest negative change, closing March at -1.09%.

SINAPI, created in 1969, has the purpose of producing information on costs and indexes in a systematic way and with a national coverage, in order to elaborate and assess budgets as well as monitor costs.