Index surpassed the value of April (0.55%) and of May 2007 (0.28%), accumulating 2.88% in the year.

The index accumulated in 12 months (5.58%) in May also was higher than the value of April (5.04%).

The hike of 1.95% in the group food products and beverages was 54% of the IPCA in the month.

The Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) of May increased by 0.79%, above the result of April, which had been 0.55%.  As a consequence, the index accumulated 2.88% in the year, compared to 1.79% in the same period of the previous year.  In the last twelve months, the index accumulated was 5.58%, also above the rate of the immediately previous twelve months (5.04%).  In May 2007, the IPCA had been 0.28%.

Food products were, once more, the main responsible for the hike of the index. With an increase of 1.95%, above the change of April (1.29%), the group Food products and Beverages contributed with 0.43 percentage points, which represented 54% of the IPCA. Few food products did not have a generalized growth, such as fruits (-5.40%) and carioca beans (-11.26%).  The other products had significant growth.

Rice led the individual contributions with 0.11 percentage points, turning 19.75% more expensive in April. Bread rolls had a hike of 4.74% and meats, 3.45%.

In the surveyed areas, all the consumers were paying more to feed themselves in May. Curitiba and Goiânia had the major hikes: 2.81% and 2.77%, respectively (table below).

With the hike of May, the group food products accumulated 6.40% in the year, considerably above the result of the same period of the previous year, when it had been 2.81%.  The changes in 2007 and 2008 with the indexes accumulated are presented below.

Non-food products also increased, changing from 0.34% in April to 0.46% in May and accumulating in the year, 1.91%.  Banking services (additional statement, transfers, etc.) also had an average increase of 8.74%. The prices of cleaning articles increased by 1.81% due, mainly, to the hike of soap bar (4.20%) and soap powder (1.09%). Medicines turned 0.97% more expensive as a consequence of the authorized readjustment by the Regulatory Chamber for Medicines (Cmed) of some products in April 09.

Other hikes were: tickets for soccer games (19.69%), air tickets (2.26%), manicure services (1.37%), household workers salaries (1.20%), articles for residence repair (1.16%), accessories and pieces (1.04%), personal care articles (0.75%).  Cooking gas (1.55%) also increased, influenced by the hike of 19.01% which occurred in the metropolitan area of Recife.  In apparel, the hike was 0.98%, especially in Belo Horizonte, where the prices increased by 2.27%. 

Regarding fuels, the change of 0.26% in the item occurred due to alcohol, with hike of 1.11% especially in Goiânia (5.84%) and Salvador (5.08%). In diesel oil, the change of 7.24% in the service stations occurred due to the readjustment of 15.00% in the refineries in May 02. 

Goiânia (1.26%) brought the major hike as a consequence of the result of food products (2.77%) and of tariffs of urban buses (8.11%).  The lowest result was recorded in the metropolitan area of Belém (0.25%), where food products (0.75%) brought the lowest significant result (table below). 

The IPCA is calculated by the IBGE since 1980, it refers to families with monetary income, from any source, ranging from one to forty minimum wages. It covers nine metropolitan areas, besides the municipality of Goiânia and Brasília.  To calculate the index of the month, prices collected between April 30 and May 30 (reference period) were compared to those charged between March 29 and April 29 (base period).

INPC of May increased by 0.96%

The National Consumer Price Index - INPC changed by 0.96%, considerably above the result of April (0.64%).  In the index accumulated in the year the value was 3.32%, significantly above the rate of 1.88% referent to the same period of the previous year.  In the last twelve months the index accumulated was 6.64%, also above the rate of 5.90% of the twelve immediately previous months.  In May 2007, the INPC had been 0.26%.

Food products changed by 2.19% in May, while non-food products increased by 0.44%.  In April the results were 1.29% and 0.37%, respectively.  The INPC is calculated by the IBGE since 1979 and it refers to families headed by a salaried worker with monetary income ranging from 01 to 06 minimum wages.  It covers nine metropolitan areas of the country, besides the municipality of Goiânia and Brasília.  To calculate the index of the month prices collected from April 30 to May 30 (reference period) were compared to those charged between March 29 and April 29 (base period).

Goiânia (1.99%) brought the major hike due to the result of food products (3.15%) and tariffs of urban buses (8.11%) as a consequence of the readjustment of 11.11% in April 19.  The lowest result was recorded in the metropolitan area of Belém (0.26%), where food products (0.63%) had the lowest hike among all the surveyed areas (table below).