The Extended National Consumer Price Index - IPCA of March changed by 0.20% and was 0.35 percentage point below the rate of February (0.55%). With this result, it closed the first quarter of the year with 1.23%, lower than the rate of 1.52% relative to the same period of 2008. Considering the last twelve months, the result was 5.61%, also below the rate of the immediately previous twelve months (5.90%). In March 2008, the rate had been 0.48%.

From February to March, the group Education was responsible for the deceleration of IPCA, since the effects of the seasonal hike verified in the beginning of the year were absorbed in the previous index, when the group registered rise of 4.77%. Thus, non-food products decreased from the 0.63% of February to 0.17% in March.

Among the other groups of products and services, according to the table below, only Household Articles (0.48%) and Apparel (0.70%) showed significant rise from one month to the other. Food Products and Beverages (0.30%), Housing (0.25%) and Personal Expenses (0.35%) presented similar results, while the groups Transportation (-0.07%) and Health and Personal Care (0.37%) suffered reduced price changes.  

In Transportation, several items stood out because of lower changes. For example: urban bus fares (from 1.03% to 0.11%), intermunicipal bus fares (from 1.61% to 0.21%) and alcohol (1.23% to -1.23%). In Health and Personal Care, the highlights were medical and odontological services (from 1.46% to 0.38%), besides laboratory and hospital services (from 0.84% to 0.30%).

The major individual impact of the month was item fruits, whose prices were 5.89% higher, with contribution of 0.05 percentage point. As a general rule, food products maintained the rate of March (0.30%), similar to that of February (0.27%), because of the increases and reductions on prices.

Among the indexes by area, Curitiba (0.39%) and Recife (0.37%) registered the highest results, while Salvador (0.02%) and Rio de Janeiro (0.03%) showed relative price stability.

To calculate the monthly index, prices collected from February 28 to March 30 (reference) were compared to those charged between January 29 and February 27 (base). IPCA has been calculated by IBGE since 1980, and it refers to families with monthly income ranging from one to 40 minimum wages, whatever source, encompassing nine metropolitan areas in the country, besides the municipality of Goiânia, and Brasília.

In March, INPC was 0.20%

The National Consumer Price Index (INPC) changed by 0.20% in March, being below the result of 0.31% registered in February. In the first quarter of the year, INPC was 1.15%. Considering the last twelve months, with 5.92%, the result was below the rate of the immediately preceding twelve months (6.25%). In March 2008, INPC had been 0.51%.

To calculate the monthly index, prices collected from February 28 to March 30 (reference) were compared to those charged between January 29 and February 27 (base). INPC has been calculated by IBGE since 1979. It refers to families with monthly income ranging from one to six minimum wages, with a salaried head of household. INPC encompasses nine metropolitan areas in the country, besides the municipality of Goiânia, and Brasília.

Among the indexes by area, Curitiba (0.44%) and São Paulo (0.42%) presented the highest results. The lowest result occurred in Belo Horizonte (-0.07%).