The National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) changed by 0.83% in January 2011 and was 0.20 percentage points above...

The National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) changed 0.83% in January 2011 and was 0.20 percentage points above the rate of December 2010 (0.63%). It is the highest IPCA rate since April 2005 (0.87%). In the last 12 months, the index has accumulated 5.99%, being above that in the immediately previous 12 months (5.91%). In January 2010, IPCA was 0.75%.

Food products and beverages

and transportation were the main groups forming the January index. Their contribution amounted to 0.56 percentage points – what corresponds to 67% of the month’s IPCA (0.83%). The aforementioned items represent 0.27 and 0.29 percentage points of this figure, respectively. See below the results by group of products and services surveyed.

Food products, despite the hike of 1.16%, recorded a smaller change than in December 2010 (1.32%). The metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro presented the biggest result in this group (1.86%), as a consequence of the rain affecting crops in important producing areas of the mountainous region of the state (Região Serrana).

Some food products had reduced growth rates from December to January, especially meals in restaurants (from 1.98% to 0.97%, whole chicken (from 4.81% to 0.93%), jerky (from 5.82% to 2.49%), crystallized sugar (from 2.06% to 1.59%) and pasteurized milk (from 1.61% to 0.75%). Other items, however, faced significant rise, such as tomatoes (from 8.86% to 27.11%), carrots (from 14.93% to 22.32%), fruits (from -0.88% to 4.40%) and green vegetables (from 4.19% to 15.57%).

Meats, which had been responsible for the biggest contributions in previous months, also recorded decrease in January 0.19%), compared to a hike of 2.25% in December 2010. Other highlights were the results of beans (from -11.10% to -10.49%), rice (from 0.21% to -0.76%) and garlic (from -0.69% to -4.86%).

The rate of non-food products was 0.73%, that is, above the December figure (0.42%). With increase of 4.13%, urban bus fares accounted for the major individual impact in the month of January, 0.16 percentage points. The result reflected the hikes observed in the metropolitan areas of Recife, Salvador, Belo Horizonte e São Paulo.

Housing also accelerated from December to January (from 0.49% to 0.61%), due to changes in rents (from 0.73% to 1.23%) and condo fees (from 1.04% to 1.27%). Among personal expenses (from 0.57% to 0.83%), the highlight was domestic workers (from 0.72% to 0.91%), whereas household appliances (from -0.44% to 1.03%) accounted for the hike of household articles (from 0.10% to 0.25%).

Among the areas surveyed, Belo Horizonte recorded the highest rate (1.15%), due to results of urban bus fares (6.52%) and fares of intercity-buses (6.72%). The lowest figure was recorded in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre (0.47%), where food products changed by 0.47%, and transportation did not record any change. See below a table with monthly results by area surveyed.

INPC has been calculated by IBGE since 1979, and it refers to families with a one-to-six-minimum-wage income (the family reference person must be salaried) and it encompasses nine metropolitan regions of the country, besides the municipalities of Goiânia and of Brasília. For the month estimates, the prices collected from December 29^th, 2010 to January 28^th, 2011 (reference) were compared with the prices in effect between November 30^th and December 28^th, 2010 (base).

IPCA has been calculated by IBGE since 1980, and it refers to families with a 1-to-40-minimum-wage income (whatever the source may be) and it encompasses nine metropolitan regions of the country, besides the municipalities of Goiânia and of Brasília. For the month estimates, the prices collected from December 29^th, 2010 to January 28^th, 2011 (reference) were compared with the prices in effect between November 30^th and December 28^th, 2010 (base).

INPC changed by 0.94% in January

The National Consumer Price Index (INPC) recorded change of 0.94% in January, being 0.34 percentage points above the December 2010 figure (0.60%). Considering the last 12 months, the index was 6.53%, also above the immediately previous 12 months (6.47%). In January 2010, INPC was 0.88%.

The change recorded by food products in January was 1.02%, whereas that of non-food products was 0.90%. In December 2010, the results were, respectively, 1.12% and 0.37%.

Among the areas surveyed, the highest figure was that of Belo Horizonte (1.31%), due to the hikes of urban bus fares (6.52%) and fares of intercity-buses (6.72%). The lowest figure was recorded in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre (0.33%), where food products (0.19%) and transportation (0.06%) recorded the smallest changes. The table below shows the indexes by area surveyed.