The Extended National Consumer Price Index 15 (IPCA-15) changed 1.18% in December and stayed 0.33 percentage points (p.p.) above the rate of 0.85% in November. It was the highest index for December since 2002, when it registered 3.05%. As a result, the Special Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA-E), which is the cumulative IPCA-15, closed 2015 at 10.71%, the highest index since 2002, when it hit 11.99%. In December 2014, the index stayed at 0.79% and closed the year at 6.46%. The complete data of the IPCA-15 can be accessed here.

In December, food and beverages (2.02%) and transportation (1.76%) registered the highest group figures. Together, they accounted for 69% of the index, since they added up to 0.82 p.p. of impact, being 0.50 p.p. from food products and 0.32 p.p. from transportation.

In the group of food and beverages (2.02%), the prices rose the most in Goiânia, reaching 3.31%. The change was 1.46% in São Paulo, a less intense rise than in the other areas.

The prices of a number of important products in the expenditure of families significantly rose between November and December, highlighted by onions (26.28%), potatoes (18.13%), tomatoes (17.60%), refined  (13.74%) and crystallized sugar (13.64%), carioca beans (5.60%), green vegetables (5.05%), fruits (4.90%) and soybean oil (4.78%).

Concerning the year, food and beverages rose 12.16%, a figure only surpassed by the group of housing (18.51%). The highest increase was recorded in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, whose prices rose 14.21%, followed by Curitiba (14.08%). Compared with others, Belo Horizonte posted the most moderate rise: 9.61%.

In the group of transportation (1.76%), the fuels item, whose prices rose 3.41%, led the ranking of main individual impacts of the month (0.18 p.p.). The liter of gasoline became 2.69% more expensive and contributed with 0.11 p.p. to the index, whereas ethanol increased 7.14% (0.07 p.p.). The seasonal increase of 36.4% in the airfare item also stood out in December. As a result, the group of transportation changed 10.27% in the year.

Among the items that comprise the other groups of products and services surveyed, electricity stood out. Electricity bills rose 0.95%, mainly due to the change of 8.34% in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, where the fares of one of its suppliers was adjusted by 16% since November 7.

The highest regional index was registered in Rio de Janeiro (1.67%), influenced by electricity bills, which increased 8.34%. The lowest index was recorded in the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte (0.79%).

In order to estimate the IPCA-15, the prices collected from November 13 to December 11, 2015 (reference) were compared with the prices in force from October 15 to November 12, 2015 (base). The indicator refers to families with monthly income of 1 to 40 minimum wages and it encompasses the Metropolitan Areas of Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Recife, São Paulo, Belém, Fortaleza, Salvador, Curitiba, and also Brasília and Goiânia. The methodology is the same as the one used for IPCA; the difference lies in the period of price collection and in the geographic coverage.