The National Index of Construction, calculated by IBGE in partnership with CAIXA, changed by 0.20%, the lowest result since September 2005 (0.14%), with decrease of 0.11 percentage points in comparison with February 2005 (0.31%).

The index accumulated in the year was 0.94%; in twelve months, 6.02%.

In comparison with March 2005 (0.47%), the present result was 0.27 percentage points lower. The current accumulated indexes are also below the rates of equivalent periods in the previous year (1.85% and 10.65%). 

The national cost by square meter changed from R$547,14 (February) to R$ 548.22 (March), being R$ 320.85 relative to construction material and R$ 227.37 to manpower.

The percentage of the index relative to material increased by 0.06 percentage points, going from 0.25% in February to 0.31% in March. In the year, there was increase of 1.12%; in twelve months, of 5.23%.

Manpower was practically constant, changing by only 0.04% from February (0.34%) to March (0.38%). This behavior affected the national index (0.20%). In the year, the index relative to manpower increased by 0.68%; in the last twelve months, by 7.15%.

North and Northeast Regions had the highest index

The North and Northeast had the same percentage, in March, (0.24%), a result similar to those in the South (0.21%) and Central West (0.20%) regions. The Southeast, with an index of 0.16%, was below the national average (0.20%).

In terms of the highest accumulated rates, the highlights in the year are the Northeast (1.825) and, in twelve months, the North region (7.20%). The lowest results in these periods occurred in the South (0.53% and 5.35%, respectively).

The costs by region were: R$ 585.01 (Southeast); R$ 550.36 (South); R$ 531.06 (North); R$ 520.37 (Central West) and R$ 506.80 (Northeast).

Among the states, Bahia had the highest index

In March, despite the homogeneity of the state results, Bahia had the highest rate (0.31%); in second place were Rondônia and Roraima (0.29%). With similar percentages there were also: Rio de Janeiro (0.28%); Acre, Amazonas and the Federal District (0.26%). The lowest changes occurred in Espírito Santo (0.10%), Piauí and São Paulo (0.13%); Goiás (0.15%) and Santa Catarina (0.16%).

MARCH/2006

GEOGRAPHIC AREAS	AVERAGE COSTS	INDEX  NUMBERS	PERCENT CHANGES
	R$/m2	Dec/98=100	MONTHLY	IN THE YEAR	12 MONTHS
BRAZIL

548.22

193.82

0.20

0.94

6.02

      

NORTH REGION

531.06

184.67

0.24

1.05

7.20

RONDÔNIA

486.36

184.61

0.29

0.59

7.46

ACRE

510.88

187.49

0.26

0.51

8.33

AMAZONAS

561.22

178.47

0.26

0.59

7.56

RORAIMA

660.98

197.88

0.29

0.73

7.44

PARÁ

515.96

184.26

0.21

1.81

7.06

AMAPÁ

520.47

191.48

0.18

1.46

6.20

TOCANTINS

556.88

193.91

0.19

0.51

6.24

      

NORTHEAST REGION

506.80

198.00

0.24

1.82

6.11

MARANHÃO

519.22

200.33

0.22

3.71

7.58

PIAUÍ

460.24

200.70

0.13

4.26

8.86

CEARÁ

483.32

191.12

0.17

1.12

5.69

RIO GRANDE DO NORTE

492.05

194.92

0.24

1.21

6.87

PARAÍBA

481.74

195.31

0.24

0.46

2.59

PERNAMBUCO

503.57

206.70

0.22

0.47

5.26

ALAGOAS

537.76

189.76

0.19

0.48

6.80

SERGIPE

470.78

205.12

0.23

1.88

7.57

BAHIA

536.67

198.52

0.31

2.66

6.21

      

SOUTHEAST REGION

585.01

195.10

0.16

0.62

6.08

MINAS GERAIS

526.42

212.21

0.18

1.01

6.56

ESPÍRITO SANTO

475.59

211.39

0.10

0.32

6.37

RIO DE JANEIRO

605.13

194.67

0.28

0.40

7.10

SÃO PAULO

612.74

189.02

0.13

0.56

5.64

      

SOUTH REGION

550.36

186.54

0.21

0.53

5.35

PARANÁ

558.32

189.28

0.23

0.53

6.22

SANTA CATARINA

537.93

182.41

0.16

0.51

4.63

RIO GRANDE DO SUL

550.01

186.34

0.22

0.52

4.93

      

CENTRAL WEST REGION

520.37

197.89

0.20

0.61

5.52

MATO GROSSO DO SUL

526.14

194.77

0.19

0.53

7.35

MATO GROSSO

509.08

200.57

0.24

0.89

5.15

GOIÁS

507.84

198.90

0.15

0.43

5.14

FEDERAL DISTRICT

575.59

193.95

0.26

0.62

5.11

Source: Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Índices de Preços.

NOTE:

These results are calculated by IBGE, in partnership with CAIXA – CAIXA ECONÔMICA FEDERAL, every month.