The Extended National Consumer Price Index-15 (IPCA-15) changed by 0.35% in August and was almost reduced to half of the rate of 0.63% registered in July.  With this result, the index accumulated 4.69% in 2008, higher than in the same period of the previous year (2.85%).  The index accumulated in the last 12 months was 6.23% slightly below the 12 immediately previous months (6.30%).

Food products accounted for the reduction of the IPCA-15 in August, once they had a sudden deceleration, reaching a change of 0.25%, compared to a hike of 1.75% in July.  Among the products which had decrease of prices from one month to the next, the highlights were potatoes (-7.55%), tomatoes (-6.52%), green vegetables (-4.92%), “carioca” beans (-2.91%), soybean oil (-1.84%) and rice (-1.34%).  With the result of August, the group food products and beverages accumulated hike of 10.80% in this year.

Below we may observe the results of the IPCA-15 by group of products.

The non-food products, on the other hand, increased from 0.28% to 0.38% from July to August.  This occurred because, despite the decrease of apparel (-0.48%), gasoline (-0.15%) and others, items also important in the budget of the families increased.  

For example, fixed telephone increased by 2.07% due to the readjustment which occurred in July, leading the individual contributions with 0.07 percentage points.  In electricity, the hike was 1.15%, with increase in São Paulo (3.53%), where, besides the readjustment of 8.63%, of July 4, there was a readjustment in the contribution of Pis/Pasep/Cofins (federal taxes).  In Belém (9.05%), the tariffs turned 19% more expensive in August 7, and there also was increase in the contribution of Pis/Pasep/Cofins.

Water and sewerage account increased by 1.09% with increases in the metropolitan areas of Belém (6.10%), Rio de Janeiro (5.55%) and Porto Alegre (2.19%).

Regarding education, the increase of 0.38% in August was affected by the increases of 0.22% of formal education courses and of 1.65% in diverse courses (computer science, languages, etc...).

Among the areas surveyed, the major change of the IPCA-15 come from Belém (0.93%) due to the results of electricty (9.05%), water and sewerage account (6.10%) and food products (0.88%).  The lowest result was registered in Recife (-0.10%).

Below it is possible to see the results by areas.

To calculate the IPCA-15, prices collected from July 15 to August 13 were compared to those charged from June 14 to July 14.  The index refers to families with income ranging from 1 to 40 minimum wages and covers the metropolitan areas of Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Recife, São Paulo, Belém, Fortaleza, Salvador and Curitiba, besides Brasília and the municipality of Goiânia.  The methodology used is the same one of the IPCA; the difference lies in the period of price collection.