IPCA
Inflation stands at -0.02% in August, first negative result in the year
September 10, 2024 09h00 AM | Last Updated: September 11, 2024 01h29 PM
Resumption to the green tariff flag contributed to drop of 2.77% in residential electricity - Photo: Helena Pontes / IBGE News AgencyInflation in the country hit -0.02% in August, a drop of 0.40 percentage points (p.p.) against the previous month (0.38%). This is the first negative rate since June 2023, when the index recorded a decrease of 0.08%. The result was influenced by the decrease in Housing (-0.51%), after the fall of prices of residential electricity (-2.77%), and Food and beverages (-0.44%), with the second consecutive decrease of food at home (-0.73%). In the year, cumulative inflation was of 2.85% and, in the last 12 months, of 4.24%. These data come from the Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA), released today (10) by the IBGE.
André Almeida, manager of the survey, emphasizes that the change in the tariff flag for electricity is the main factor behind the drop in the Housing sector. "The main influence came from residential electricity, with the return to the green tariff flag in August, where there is no additional charge on electricity costs, after the change to the yellow flag in July," he says.
The Food and Beverages group (-0.44%) recorded its second drop in a row, after falling by 1.51% in July. There were drops in the prices of potato (-19.04%), tomato (-16.89%) and onion (-16.85%).
"The main factor that contributed to the drop in prices was a greater supply of these products on the market due to milder weather in the middle of the year, which favors the production of these foods, with a greater pace of harvesting and intensification of the crop," Almeida points out.
As for rises, papaya (17.58%), chunkey bananas (11.37%) and ground coffee (3.70%) stand out.
Food away from home (0.33%) was down on the previous month (0.39%). The subitem snack decelerated from 0.74% in July to 0.11% in August, whereas meals accelerated from 0.24% to 0.44%.
In Transportation (0.00%), the stability of prices was influenced by movements of prices in opposite directions including its main subitems. As for fuels (0,61%), vehicle gas (4.10%), gasoline (0.67%) and oil (0.37%) increased, whereas ethanol dropped by 0.18%. In addition, airfares recorded drops in prices (-4.93%).
"The fall in the price of airfare in August can be explained by a contrary movement to that observed in July, the month of the school vacations, when airfare is more in demand due to family trips.
Inflation in Porto Alegre stands at 0.18%
By area, seven of the locations surveyed recorded positive results and eight, negative ones. The biggest change was 0.18% in Porto Alegre, influenced by the rise in airfares in the state (21.59%), and the smallest was -0.54% in São Luís, due to a drop in residential electricity prices (-4.52%). Fortaleza was stable (0.00%).
INPC falls 0.14% in August
The National Consumer Price Index - INPC recorded a drop of 0.14% in August, 0.40 p.p. below the result of July (0.26%). In the year, INPC had a cumulative increase of 2.80%, and, in the last 12 months, of 3.71%, below the 4.06% observed in the immediately previous 12 months. In August 2023, the rate was 0.20%.
Food products dropped by 0.63% in August, the second consecutive decrease, after a decrease of 0.95% in July. The change of non-food products decelerated from 0.65% in July to 0.02% in August.
As for regional indexes, Vitória accounted for the main increase (0.13%), due to water and sewage rates (4,04%). The lowest change was observed in São Luís (-0.58%), driven by the fall of prices of tomato (-23.78%) and residential electricity (-4.50%).
Mais sobre as pesquisas
The IPCA encompasses households with an income between 1 and 40 minimum wages, whereas the INPC, households with an income between 1 and 5 minimum wages, living in the Metropolitan Areas of Belém, Fortaleza, Recife, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Vitória, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, as well as in the Federal District and in the municipalities of Goiânia, Campo Grande, Rio Branco, São Luís and Aracaju. Please access the data at Sidra. The next result of IPCA, relative to March, will be released on October 9th.
