The Extended National Consumer Price Index-15 (IPCA-15) changed by 1.33% in February, being 0.44 percentage points above the January rate (0.89%). This is the highest index since February 2003, when it reached 2.19%. The cumulative figure for the first two months in the year was 2.23%. Considering the last 12 months, the index reached 7.36%, the highest result since June 2005 (7.72%). In February 2014, the rate was 0.70%.

Complete data on IPCA-15 are available at
www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/precos/ipca15/defaultipca15.shtm.

The group Education, with increase of 5.98%, presented the biggest result in the group in the month, according to the table shown below.

The hike of 5.98% recorded by Education reflects the price adjustments observed in the beginning of the school year, mainly the rise ofregular courses , which rose 7.29%. Except for Fortaleza, which did not record increase due to the difference of the data of readjustment, in the other areas the changes of courses ranged between 5.11% in the metropolitan area ofPorto Alegre, and 9.78%, in Rio de Janeiro. The fares of other courses (languages, computer science, etc) changed by 7.18%.

Considering the main individual contributions, the leadership was that of electricity, which held 0.23 percentage points of IPCA-15, due to the rise of fares by 7.70%. Besides the price adjustment in some regions and changes in taxes, the item reflected the completing of the Tax System, a model of change gone into effect on January 1st. Also in the group Housing (2.17%), there was influence of condominium fees (0.97%), Manpower for small repair (0.91%), bottled gas (0.89%), water and sewage fare (0.68%) and residential rent (0.65%).

InTransportation (1.98%), the increase reflects, mainly, the price changes occurred in the fares of urban buses (7.34%) in the following areas:

• Recife (12.38%) - adjustment of 13.50% from January 11 on
• São Paulo (12,18%) - adjustment of 16.66% from January 06 on
• Rio de Janeiro (8.28%) - adjustment of 13.34% from January 03 on
• Fortaleza (8.18%) - adjustment of 9.09% from January 16 on
• Salvador (4.51%) - adjustment of 7.00% from January 02 on
• Belo Horizonte (4.38%) - adjustment of 8.77% from December 29 on
• Curitiba (3.01%) - adjustment of 15.78% from January 06 on

There was also increase in the fares of intercity buses, which was 3.61% under the influence of São Paulo (7.21%), with adjustment of 16.60% since January 06Rio de Janeiro (6.68%), with adjustment of 12.46% on January 10; Fortaleza (4.51%), with adjustment of 11.60% since Dec 29 and; and Curitiba (3.31%), with adjustment of 10.00% on February 08.

Also in the group Transportation (1.98%), the hike of 2.96% in the liter of gasoline and of 2.54% in the liter of diesel diesel reflects the increase of PIS/COFINS rates from February 1 on. Ethanol (3.55%) also contributed to this result. Besides, there were rises in subway fares (8.95%), new cars (2.76%), cabs (2.50%) and car repair (1.59%).

In terms of Food and beverages (0.85%), some products recorded significant decreases, such as pinto beans (10.07%), tomato (9.61%), green vegetables (7.71%), potato (6.77%) and fish and related items (3.62%). In spite of that, food products recorded deceleration of price rise, since there was, in January, hike of 1.45%.

In the group of Personal expenses (1.22%), the highlights were: excursion (7.48%), cigarette (4.44%), hairdresser (1.01%) and manicurist (0,65%).

Household appliances (1.33%) were a highlight among household articles (0.62%), mobile telephony (0.90%) in the group ofCommunication (0.28%); in Health and personal care (0.39%) there were no highlights. On the other hand, wearing apparel (-0.89%) recorded decrease.

Among the indexes by area, the main ones were those of Rio de Janeiro (1.59%) and São Paulo (1.58%). In Rio de Janeiro, the increase affected urban buses (8.28%). In São Paulo, electricity (12.17%) andurban buses (12.18%) accounted for 0.64 percentage points. The lowest index was recorded by Brasília (0.34%), where air fares recorded decrease of 20.86%, and, with decrease of 2.70%, represented an impact of -0.56 percentage points to the index of the area.