The National Index of Civil Construction Index (Sinapi), calculated by the IBGE, recorded a change of 0.19% in February, being 0.19 percentage points below the rate in the previous month (0.38%). As a result, the rate of the last 12 months decreased to 5.77%, a result below the 6.46% recorded in the previous 12 months. In February 2016 the index hit 0.84%. The complete publication is available here.

The national cost of construction, by square meter, which closed the month of January at R$ 1,031.21, increased to R$ 1,033.16 in February, being R$ 533.e to materials and R$ 499.27 to workforce.

Materials recorded a change of  0.37% and increased 0.23 percentage points in comparison with the result of the first month in the year (0.14%). Workforce kept, in February, the same figures as in the month before, without changes. Cumulative figures in 12 months were 1.98% (materials) and 10.14% (workforce), respectively.

Southeast Region records biggest monthly change 

The Southeast Region, with 0.23%, recorded the biggest monthly change in February. The other regions recorded the following results: 0.13% (North), 0.19% (Northeast), 0.22% (South) and 0.04% (Central West).

The regional costs by square meter were:  R$ 1,050.78 (North); R$ 956.27 (Northeast); R$ 1,078.42 (Southeast); R$ 1,071.44 (South) and R$ 1,039.49 (Central West).

In February, Rio Grande do Norte recorded the main increase in the month 

Rio Grande do Norte recorded the biggest monthly change: 0.66%, followed by Santa Catarina, with 0.52.

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