The Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) changed by 0.48% in March, with a result very similar to the one in February (0.49%). The index accumulated in the year was 1.52%, above the figure for the same period in 2007 (1.26%). In the last twelve months, IPCA has reached 4.73%, also above the figure for the immediately previous twelve months (4.61%). In March 2007, the index changed by 0.37%.

In March, even without the effect of readjustments for the beginning of the year for the group education, which accounted for half of the inflation of February, IPCA remained practically stable in relation to that of the previous month because, due to the contributions from food products, and also the rates of water and sewage; electricity; fuels and apparel.

The group food products and beverages changed by 0.89% in March, a rate which was above the 0.60% figure reached in February, and accounted for 0.20 percentage points to the IPCA of the month, that is, for 40% of the index. Among the 11 areas surveyed, 6 had increasing rates for food products: Rio de Janeiro (from 0.42% in February to 0.85% in March), Porto Alegre (from 0.77% to 1.37%), São Paulo (0.11% to 0.60%), Fortaleza (0.83% to 1.83%), Salvador (from 0.58% to 2.10%) and Curitiba (from 0.61% to 1.35%).

Having been affected by rises in the prices of wheat, the main highlight of the group was bread, which became 4.24% more expensive.

For non-food products, the rate of 0.36% of March was below the result of 0.46% obtained in February, due to the reduced influence of the readjustment of school fees. Besides education (which changed from 3.47% in February to 0.24% in March), others items, such as urban buses (from 0.49% to 0.06%) changed less significantly from February to March.

On the other hand, IPCA was affected by the changes in electricity, which rose by 1.40% and accounted for the main individual contribution in the month, being affected, mainly, by the results of Brasilia (3.61%), Rio de Janeiro (2.93%), São Paulo (2.72%) and Porto Alegre (1.17%). There were also rises in water and sewage fares (1.43%), as a consequence of negative changes registered in Belo Horizonte (7.28%) and Brasília (5.90%).

The liter of alcohol, whose price had fallen by 2.31% in February, became 1.73% more expensive in March. For that reason there was increase of 0.76% in the price of gasoline, which, in February, had fallen by 1.42%. The fall of prices of these two products was a consequence of the changes in the metropolitan areas of Curitiba (6.37% in gasoline and 11.46% in alcohol) and of Porto Alegre (4.46% in gasoline and 2.40% in alcohol).

Another highlight in March was apparel, with prices which, under the influence of cut-rate sales, had fallen by 0.54% in February, with the arrival of the new collection in the market, after having risen by 0.75%.

Among the indexes by area, Curitiba (0.99%) had the best result, mainly due to the rises of fuels (6.68%). In Brasília, there was the opposite: the fall of fuel prices by 6.90% was one of the responsible ones for the lowest change in the month (-0.22%). The indexes by area are shown in the table below:

IPCA has been calculated by IBGE since 1980. It refers to families with monetary income, from any source, ranging from 1 to 40 minimum wages, and includes nine metropolitan areas of the country, besides the municipality of Goiânia, and Brasília.  To calculate the index of this month, prices collected from March 1 to 28 (reference) were compared to those in effect from January 30 to February 29 (base). 

INPC changed by 0.51% in March

The National Consumer Price Index (INPC) changed by 0.51% in March, with a rate above the February result (0.48%). The index accumulated in the year is 1.69%, significantly above the rate for the same period in 2007 (1.36%). In the last twelve months, the result was 5.50%, also above the 5.43% of the immediately previous twelve months. In March 2007, INPC had been 0.44%.

Last month, food products rose by 0.98% and non-food products, by 0.31%. The highest index by area was registered in Belém (0.84%) and the lowest one, in Goiânia (0.05%).

INPC has been calculated by the IBGE since 1979 and it refers to families headed by a salaried worker with monetary income ranging from one to six minimum wages.  It includes nine metropolitan areas, besides the municipality of Goiânia, and Brasília.  To calculate the index of the month, prices collected from March 1 to 28 (reference) were compared to those in effect from January 30 to February 29 (base).