In spite of fuel rises, there was decrease from February to March due to the absence of school fees

The National Consumer Price Index-15 (IPCA –15) changed by 0.37% in March, despite the February rate of 0.52%, resulting in a rate of 5.49% accumulated in the last twelve months. Considering the first three months of 2006, which compose the period for the IPCA-E of the first quarter, the rate was 1.41%.

The result for the IPCA-15 of March was influenced by the reduction of the effects of the seasonal hike of school fees, which, after having changed by 5.38% in February, fell to 0.80% in March. Some consumer items also had negative results, for example: apparel fell by 0.11% due to the sales season, and television sets, sound and computer equipment, by 1.75%.

Food products

also fell, but much less than in the previous month (from –0.40% to –0.08%). Products such as black beans (-4.29%), tomatoes (-3.45%) and meats (-2.00%) fell less (-4.53%, -16.50% and –3.10% in February, respectively). Chicken, on the other hand, fell by 8.45%, more than in the previous month (-5.03%). Rice, having risen by 1.47% before, now has fallen by 0.98%. Fruits had a similar behavior, after having become 5.44% more expensive in February, fell by –1.24% in March. However, the consumer is now paying 16.69% more for the "carioca" beans, a product which had already risen 2.79% in the previous month, in the period of reduced offer. In the same way, refined sugar (9.04%) and crystallized sugar (7.48%) became more expensive, despite the lower price change (11.70% and 14.44% in February, respectively).

Fuels remained as one of the major contributors to the monthly index. The rise effected by fuel distributors has also affected the consumer, who is now paying 7.69% for the liter of alcohol. As a consequence of this alcohol rise, gasoline has become 2.17% more expensive. These were the two major individual contributions to the monthly index (0.10 percentage points for each of the items). In the year, alcohol has accumulated rise of 24.38% and gasoline, of 3.55%.

The highest index by area was registered in Curitiba (0.61%), where gasoline is the highlight for having risen by 4.73%; the lowest index was registered in Belém (0.10%).

The prices for the calculation of the IPCA-15 were collected between February 11 and March 14 and compared to those in effect between January 14 and February 10. The IPCA -15 refers to families with monetary income, from whatever source, ranging from 1 to 40 minimum salaries and 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 same methodology is used to calculate both IPCA and IPCA-15. The difference between the two indexes lies in the period of data collection. The other index, IPCA-E, consists of IPCA-15 accumulated by quarter.