The Extended National Consumer Price Index - IPCA of February was 0.45%, below the rate recorded in January, 0.56%.  The index accumulated in the year was 1.01%, lower than the rate of 1.64% relative to the same period of 2011. Considering the last twelve months, the index was 5.85%, below the 6.22% registered for the immediately previous twelve months.  In February 2011, the rate had been 0.80%. 

The complete publication is available at

https://www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/indicadores/precos/inpc_ipca/defaultinpc.

The groups Food products and beverages (from 0.86% in January to 0.19% in February) and Transportation (from 0.69% to -0.33%) were the main items accounting for the reduction of IPCA from January to February.  See below the results by group of products and services surveyed.

Several food products recorded decrease from one month to the other, mainly those consumed in the household, which changed from 0.68% to –0.03%. One example is meats (from -0.64% to -1.99%) an item which featured as the second main negative impact on the monthly rate, -0.05 percentage points. Significant decreases were recorded by tomatoes, which had risen by 8.09% in January, with a change of -16.96% in February, refined sugar (from -0.75% to -3.67%), noodles (from -0.96% to -2.80%), crystallized sugar (from -1.23% to -2.38%), potatoes (from 8.01% to -0.87%), cheese (from 1.71% to -0.41%) and beer for domestic consumption (from 0.38% to -0.21%) among others. 

Among the food products with rising prices, the highlights were black beans (from 5.42% to 14.4%), onions (from -4.08% to 12.12%) and chickens pieces (from -0.13%to 0.76%), among others. Some of the food products which had recorded rising figues in January decelerated in February, for example, carrots (from 11.29% to 5.40%), brown beans (from 15.98% to 2.82%), rice (from 1.32% to 1.02%) and ground coffee (from 2.06% to 0.95%).   

Transportation had its rate reduced from one month to the other, being affected by the lowest change of prices in the most important items in the budget of families – among them, air fares, which changed from 10.61% to -8.84% and represented the main negative impact: 0.06 percentage points.  

Urban buses rose from 2.54% to 0.72%, reflecting  the complementation of price adjustments which occurred in January and of those in effect from February on. Intercity buses also recorded their lowest rates for the months of January and February, having changed from 3.23% to 1.07%. As for the fares of interstate buses, there was decrease of 0.53%.

Also in Transportation, fuels changed from -0.45% to -0.83%, another highlight.  Gasoline had recorded a change of -0.35% in January, and got -0.40% in February due to the biggest decrease in ethanol prices, 2.87%, versus - 1.25% in January.

The lower change of Household articles (from 0.16% to 0.06%) was a consequence of the results of household appliances (from 0.88% to -0.38%) and TV, sound and computer equipment (from 0.12% to -1.73%). In the group Apparel (from 0.07% to -0.23%), in a period of clearing sales in the market, men's apparel went from 0.16% to 0.02% and women's, from -0.07% to -0.57%. Footwear and accessories also faced fall of prices and changed from 0.01% to -0.49%.

The fall of Communication (from 0.21% to -0.17%), resulted from the contribution of fixed-telephone services, which changed from 0.84% to 0.52%, and reflected the decerase granted by Anatel in calls from a fixed telephone to  mobile one, starting on February 24.

Education (from 0.39% in January to 5.62% in February) accounted for the biggest change and the main impact of the group. Being responsible for 0.25 percentage points of the monthly index, it represented 54% of the rate. This result reflects the price adjustments effected in the beginning of the school year, among which the main highlights were the fares of regular courses. They rose 6.93% and constituted the main individual impact on the index of the month, with 0.19 percentage points. Except for Fortaleza, a metropolitan area which did not record increase due to the difference of adjustment dates, the other areas had rates ranging between the 2.19% of Porto Alegre and the 10.68% of Recife. The fares of other courses (languages, computer science, etc) recorded a change of 7.09%.  As a result, non-food products recorded a 0.53% change in February, being above the January result (0.47%).

The groups Housing (from 0.53% to 0.60%) Health and Personal care (from 0.30% to 0.70%) and Personal expenses (from 0.71% to 0.88%) also presented higher results from January to February.

The highest result of Housing (from 0.53% to 0.60%) was affected by the rate of electricity (from -0.38% to 0.15%) and cooking gas (from 0.05% to 0.72%). Personal expenses, due to the item domestic workers (from 0.74% to 1.78%), recorded the second biggest change in the month, and impact of 0.09 percentage points.  

Other highlights were, hairdresser’s (from -0.54% to 0.95%) and banking services (from 0.00% to 0.46%). Articles of personal hygiene (from -0.51% to 0.89%) and medicines (from 0.09% to 0.57%) affected the main result of the group Health and Personal care.

The main index by area was recorded in Rio de Janeiro (0.95%), as a result of the rise of salaries of domestic workers (7.65%), besides the contribution of residential rents (2.39%). With the fall of prices of food products (0.68%), Goiânia (-0.01%) recorded the lowest result in the month.

INPC has been calculated by IBGE since 1979. It refers to families with monthly income of one to five 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 January 28 to February 29 of 2012 (reference) were compared with the prices in force from December 29 to January 27 of 2012 (base).  

IPCA has been calculated by IBGE since 1980. It refers to families with monthly income of one to 40 minimum wages, from whatever 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 January 28 to February 29 of 2012 (reference) were compared with the prices in force from December 29 to January 27 (base).

INPC changed by 0.39% in February

The National Consumer Price Index - INPC recorded a change of 0.39% in February, below the result of January (0.51%). As a consequence, the accumulated index closed the year at 0.90%, below the rate of 1.49% relative to the same period of 2011. Considering the last twelve months, the index was 5.47%, lower than that of the immediately previous twelve months (5.63%). The INPC of February 2011 had been 0.54%.

Food products recorded a change of 0.21% in February, whereas non-food products rose 0.46%. In January, the results were 0.74% and 0.42%, respectively. Among the indexes by area, Recife (0.90%) recorded the biggest rate, due to the rise of urban bus fares (5.82%) and of intercity buses (12.11%).  With the fall of prices of food products (0.70%), Goiânia (-0.03%) recorded the lowest result in the month.

Among the indexes by area, Recife (0.90%) recorded the biggest rate, due to the rise of urban bus fares (5.82%) and intercity buses (12.11%).  With the fall of prices of food products (0.70%), Goiânia (-0.03%) recorded the lowest result in the month.