The National Civil Construction Index (Sinapi), calculated by IBGE in partnership with CAIXA, recorded change of 0.29% in July, and was 0.41 percentage points below the rate of January (0.70%).  In relation to July  2011 (0.55%), the difference was 0.26 percentage points. Considering the first seven months of the year, the index was 3.56%, above that of the same period of the previous year (4.39%).  The result of the last twelve months was 4.81%, below the 5.08% registered for the immediately previous twelve months.

In this month of July, from the 27 Federation Units encompassed by Sinapi, the calculations did not take into consideration the data collection in Paraíba, due to the interruption of activities of the technical team in charge of this task in the state. In order to make up for the contribution of that state in the formation of the overall index and complete the calculations of June, respecting the time series, technicians used price estimates based on the change of the items surveyed in Northeastern states, whose participation in Sinapi amounts to 31.34%.  This way, over the price of each item in the Paraíba database in the month of June, there was an average change effectively obtained in the month of July, for each corresponding item belonging the construction sector of the Northeast Region.

The complete publication is available at www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/precos/sinapi/default.shtm .

The national construction cost by square meter, which had been R$ 836.06 in June, changed, in July, to R$ 836.46, out of which R$ 447.59 were relative to material and R$ 390.87, to manpower.

The contribution of manpower recorded change  Material also faced decline, recording a difference of 0.09 percentage points after having changed from 0.16% in June, to 0.07%, in July. In the year, manpower rose to 7.59%, whereas material changed by 0.28%. The figures accumulated in twelve months were: 9.12% (manpower) and 1.31% (material).

South Region records biggest monthly change: 3.14%

Affected by the salary rise in Paraná, the South Region, with hike of 3.14%, recorded the biggest change by Major Region in July. The remaining regions had the following results: 0.15% (Northeast), 0.13% (Southeast), 0.12% (both North and Central West).

The regional costs by square meter were: R$ 839.53 (North); R$ 788.51 (Northeast); R$ 878.97 (Southeast); R$ 844.26 (South) and R$ 833.19 (Central West).

In terms of accumulated figures, the South Region was a highlight for having biggest change in the year (5.05%) and the highest in the last 12 months (5.87%).

Paraná records main hike: 2.49%

Due to the pressure exerted by the salary rise resulting from a collective agreement, the state of Paraná had the highest monthly rate, of 2.49%.