The Extended Consumer Price Index -15 (IPCA-15) changed 0.56% in October, accumulating 4.66% in the year and 6.21% in the last twelve months (from November 2004 to October 2005).

Fuels answered for about 70% of the index of the month (0.38 percentage point).

The Extended Consumer Price Index -15 (IPCA-15) changed 0.56% in October, accumulating 4.66% in the year and 6.21% in the last twelve months (from November 2004 to October 2005). For the calculation of the index, prices collected in the period September 13 to October 11 were compared to prices effective in the period August 12 to September 12.

Fuels

changed 7.11% and answered for about 70% of the month index (0.38 percentage point). The main individual impact (0.31 percentage point) came from gasoline. The effect of the readjustment of September, amounting to 10% in the gasoline sale prices in the refineries, was incorporated almost totally by the gas stations. As a consequence, the liter remained, on the average, 7.17% more expensive. Nevertheless, for the consumers of Goiânia the liter remained 0.69% cheaper. In the other areas the percentages ranged from 4.73% in Rio de Janeiro (lowest) to 12.24% in Salvador (highest).

Alcohol

increased 6.58% in the wholesale prices and contributed 0.06 percentage point, the second impact after gasoline. In this case, prices in the metropolitan area of Fortaleza decreased –0.46%. The other areas had results that ranged from the slight decrease of Salvador (-0.02%) to the significant hike of São Paulo (11.91%). Diesel oil, usually calculated in the indexes of only three metropolitan areas, where the consumption is significant, increased, on the average, 9.59%. Diesel oil was readjusted, also in September, by 12% in the refineries.

Food products

, although decreasing, influenced the increase in the rate of the IPCA-15 from one month to the next one. In the month, prices fell less, loosing intensity since they changed from –0.60% (September) to –0.15% (October). Fish (1.49%), meat (1.54%), coffee (2.19%) and chicken (4.24%) were the highlights. On the other hand, products such as carioca beans (-9.46%) and pasteurized milk (-3.15%) decreased.

Other items which influenced the index of the month were: condominium maintenance fees (0.81%), health plans (0.95%), used automobiles (1.02%), household employees wages (1.12%), water and sewerage prices (1.17%), and airplane tickets (4.28%).

Among the areas, the major result was observed in the metropolitan area of São Paulo (0.82%) due, mainly, to the hike of 0.24% in food products and 4.78% in water and sewerage prices (4.78%). The lowest index was observed in Rio de Janeiro (0.18%).

IPCA-15 refers to families whose monetary income, from any source, ranges from 1 to 40 minimum wages. It encompasses the metropolitan areas of Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Recife, São Paulo, Belém, Fortaleza, Salvador and Curitiba, besides Brasília and Goiânia. The methodology applied is the same as that of IPCA. The difference between the two indexes lies in the period of data collection.