The National Index of Civil Construction (Sinapi), calculated by the IBGE, changed 0.38% in January, being 0.11 percentage points below the December 2016 rate (0.49%). The cumulative index in the last 12 months stayed at 6.46%, slightly below the rate of 6.64% recorded in the immediately previous 12 months.  In January 2016, the index was 0.55%. The complete publication of the survey can be accessed here.

The national cost of construction per square meter, which closed at R$1,027.30 in December, rose to R$1,031.21 in January, R$531.93 relative to materials and R$499.28 to workforce.

The materials portion changed 0.14% and increased 0.13 percentage points in relation to December (0.01%). The value of workforce changed 0.64%, dropping 0.38 percentage points in relation to the last month of 2016 (1.02%). The cumulative rates in 12 months stood at 2.66% (materials) and at 10.80% (workforce).

North Region records highest monthly change

By changing 1.01%, the North Region registered the highest regional change in January. The other regions posted the following figures:: 0.61% (Northeast), 0.22% (Southeast), 0.13% (South) and 0.12% (Central-West).

The regional costs per square meter were: R$1,049.45 (North); R$954.49 (Northeast); R$1,075.93 (Southeast); R$1,069.08 (South) and R$1,039.08 (Central-West).

Amazonas reports highest rise

Amazonas (3.64%) and Amapá (3.17%) were the states that registered the highest monthly changes, due to the pressure exerted by salary adjustments from collective work agreements. Next came Pernambuco (2.28%), under the impact of the second part of the adjustments established in the collective work agreements.

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 evaluate budgets as well as monitor costs.