Index almost equals the one of February (0.59%), accumulates 1.79% in the year and 7.54% in the last twelve months. The main impact upon the IPCA of March came from the urban bus tariffs.

The Extended National Consumer Price Index - IPCA of March changed 0.61% and remained near the rate of 0.59% of February. With the result of March, the IPCA accumulates 1.79% in the first quarter of the year, a little bit below the percentage of 1.85% registered in the first quarter of 2004. In the last twelve months the index was 7.54%, above the twelve previous months (7.39%). In March 2004, the IPCA was 0.47%.

While in the previous month the main impact came from the item courses, (0.25 percentage point of the rate of that month), in March the main impact came from urban bus tariffs (also responsible for 0.25 percentage point). Due to the readjustments that occurred in Porto Alegre and São Paulo the item urban buses changed 5.02% in the IPCA. The water and sewerage accounts, with 4.42%, also turned more expensive and pressured the index of the month, and readjustments of this item occurred in six regions. Regarding courses, since they already absorbed the major part of the seasonal impact of the beginning of the year, they presented change of 0.50%, considerably below the rate of February, 6.29%.

Similarly as courses, some other items presented deceleration in the growth rate of prices from one month to the next one, as for example vehicle insurance (from 2.29% to 0.40%), private household workers (from 1.12% to 0.14%), personal care products (from 0.90% to –0.16%) and food products (from 0.49% to 0.26%)

Regarding food products, they turned cheaper from one month to the next one. It is the case of green vegetables (-4.23%), manioc flower (-2.34%), "carioca" beans (-2.09%), chicken (-1.61%), bread rolls (-1.55%), black beans (-1.05%) and meats (-0.50%). Regarding the hikes, the highlight was eggs (9.80%), followed by garlic (6.13%).

Indexes by areas

Due, mainly, to the increases in the water and sewerage prices in Belo Horizonte (28.87%) and in the urban bus fares in São Paulo (15.29%) these two metropolitan areas presented the major indexes by areas (0.87%). In Salvador (-0.15%) where the prices of food products fell 0.60%, it was recorded the lowest index.

The IPCA is calculated by the IBGE since 1980 and it refers to families with monetary income, from any source, ranging from 01 to 40 minimum wages. It includes nine metropolitan areas of the Country, besides the municipality of Goiânia and Brasília. To calculate the index of March, prices collected between March 01 to March 29 (reference period) were compared to prices collected from January 28 to February 28 (base period).

National Consumer Price Index (INPC) of March was 0.73%

The National Consumer Price Index - INPC changed 0.73% in March and remained above the rate of February (0,44%) in 0.29 percentage point. The INPC accumulated 1.75% in the first quarter of the year, a result near the percentage of 1.80% recorded in the first quarter of 2004. In the last twelve months the index accumulated 6.08%, a percentage above the one obtained in the previous twelve months (5.91%). In March 2004, the INPC was 0.57%.

The prices of food products changed 0.23%, below the rate of 0.43% registered in February. The result of non-food products was 0.94%, above the one of February (0.44%).

The major index by area was registered in São Paulo (1.35%) due to readjustments in the urban bus tariffs (17.65%). The lowest index remained with Salvador (-0.03) due to the decrease of 0.60% in food products.

The INPC is calculated by the IBGE since 1979, it refers to families, headed by a salaried worker, with monetary income ranging from 01 to 08 minimum wages. It includes nine metropolitan areas of the Country, besides the municipality of Goiânia and Brasília. To calculate the index of March, prices collected in the period from March 01 to March 29 (reference period) were compared to prices collected in the period January 28 to February 28 (base period).