The Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) changed 0.43% in October, a rate below the 0.53% of September in 0.10 percentage points.  As a result, the accumulated index of the year stayed at 5.43%, above the rate of 4.38% relative to the same period of 2010. Considering the last 12 months, the index was at 6.97%, a contraction in relation to the 7.31% relative to the 12 immediately previous months. In October of 2010, the rate was at 0.75%.

The complete publication of the survey can be accessed at https://www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/precos/inpc_ipca/defaultinpc.shtm.

The prices of food products (from 0.64% in September to 0.56% in October) continued increasing, but in a slower pace, causing an impact of 0.13 percentage points instead of 0.15 in the previous month.  The main contributors for that behavior were milk (from 2.47% to 0.05%), whole chicken (from 2.94% to -0.05%) and carioca beans (from 6.14% to -1.88%).  Other food products, however, registered highs, pressuring the month index: ground coffee (from 2.26% to 3.02%), soybean oil (from 1.23% to 2.12%) and meals taken out of the house (from 0.51% to 0.72%).

As to transportation (from 0.78% in September to 0.48% in October), the contraction was driven by several items.  Air tickets registered a lower change than that of the previous month, although they continued to exert the main impact on the month, with 0.06 percentage points.  For trips in October, the available flights rose, on average, 14.26% compared with the average of the flights in September, when the peak was at 23.40%. The result of the group was also influenced by fuels (from 0.69% to 0.10%). The price of the liter of ethanol changed from 3.01% in September to 0.36%, whereas the liter of gasoline presented a lower change, from 0.51% to 0.17%. The other highlights were motor vehicle repairs (from 1.23% to 0.60%), which kept high, but in a slower pace of growth; interstate buses (from 0.01% to -0.20%); and cars, both new (from 0.18% to -0.09%) and used (from 0.51% to -0.15%), with decreasing prices.

Expenses with housing (from 0.71% in September to 0.62% in October) grew less than in the previous month due to water supply and sewerage (from 1.19% to 0.86%), renting (from 0.92% to 0.80%), electric energy (from 0.55% to 0.40%) and bottled gas (from 1.36% to 0.10%).

Domestic personnel, having changed 1.00% in September, was revised down to 0.10% in October and, together with hairdressers (from 1.03% to 0.54%) and dressmakers (from 0.75% to 0.41%), led to the contraction of the group of personal expenses (from 0.53% to 0.22%).

Apparel (from 0.80% in September to 0.74% in October) also rose in a slower pace, whereas household articles (from -0.36% to -0.20%) continued the downward trend.  Consequently, non-food products changed 0.39%, below the 0.50% of September.

Among the regional indices, the highest was registered in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre (0.98%), mainly influenced by the change in electric energy (1.16%), of which rates were readjusted in 7.60% as of October 26.  In addition, the pressure also came from the increase in condominium fees (4.46%) and gasoline (4.64%). The lowest index was recorded by Salvador (0.00%), considering the result of food and beverages (-0.22%), the lowest rate among all the regions surveyed.

IPCA has been calculated by IBGE since 1980. It refers to families with monthly income of one to 40 minimum wages, whatever the source, and it encompasses nine metropolitan areas in the country, besides the municipalities of Goiânia and Brasília. In order to estimate the index of the month, the prices collected from September 29 to October 27 of 2011 (reference) were compared with the prices in force from August 27 to September 28 of 2011 (base).

INPC changed 0.32% in October

The National Consumer Price Index (INPC) recorded a change of 0.32% in October, below the result of September (0.45%).  As a result, the accumulated index of the year closed at 4.94%, above the rate of 4.75% relative to the same period of 2010. Considering the last 12 months, the index was at 6.66%, below the rate relative to the 12 immediately previous months (7.30%). In October of 2010, INPC was at 0.92 %.

Food products recorded a change of 0.35% in October, while non-food products increased by 0.31%. In September, the results were at 0.61% and 0.38%, respectively.

Among the regional indices, the highest was registered in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre (0.82%), mainly influenced by the change in electric energy (1.16%), of which rates were readjusted in 7.60% as of October 26.  In addition, the pressure also came from the increase in condominium fees (4.46%) and gasoline (4.64%). The lowest index was recorded by Salvador (-0.04%), considering the result of food and beverages (-0.46%), the lowest rate among all the regions surveyed.

INPC has been calculated by IBGE since 1979. It refers to families with monthly income of one to six minimum wages, with a salaried head of the family, and it encompasses nine metropolitan areas in the country, besides the municipalities of Goiânia and Brasília. In order to estimate the index of the month, the prices collected from September 29 to October 27 of 2011 (reference) were compared with the prices in force from August 27 to September 28 of 2011 (base).