Food products (0.88%), electricity (2.19%) and automobiles (1.62%) were the main responsible for the monthly change increase. 

The Extended National Consumer Price Index - IPCA from January had a change of 0.76% and stood 0.24% above the 0.52% rate related to December.  IPCA of January, 2003 had a change of 2.25%. The cumulative index over the last twelve months was 7.71%, a lower result than the 9.30% accumulated in the previous twelve months. 

In food products, which passed from 0.39% in December to 0.88% in January, the excessive rain affected the harvest of specific products, reducing the offer and increasing the prices. Tomatoes reached the change of 25.80% and carioca beans were 10.74% more expensive. Opposed to that, some products had a deceleration on the price growth rate, for example meat (from 1.09% to 0.79%) and soybean oil (from 3.35% to 1.23%). But refined sugar (from -3.40% to -7.58) posted the sharpest drop, followed by Prato cheese (from -0.52 to -2.57).

Among non-food products, which moved from 0.56% in December to 0.72 in January, electricity was responsible for the major individual contribution to monthly index (0.10 percentage points). Almost stable in December (0.09%), electricity peaked 2.19% in January due to the rises in the electricity fees in five areas surveyed.

The new car prices rose up 1.62% and the used cars had an increase of 1.26%, due to the price adjustment practiced by the automobile assembly plants. In December, the results were 0.45% and 1.08%, respectively.

As a result of rises on the alcohol and gasoline prices practiced by mill owners, those two items also presented growth in relation to the last month. The alcohol fuel passed from 1.25% to 1.89% and gasoline from 0.34% to 0.49% Other items that also had peaks were: water and sewage fees (from 0.25% to 0.79%; bottled gas (from -0.75% to 1.72%); condominium fees (from 0.72% to 1.50%) and taxi ( from null to 1.37%). About the items that had deceleration, the highlights are wearing apparel items (from 0.98% to 0.03%), urban bus fees (from 0.97% to 0.24%) and intercity bus fees (from 1.54% to 0.90%). But interstate bus fees recorded a downfall in January (from 1.04% to -0.62%).

Among the areas, the largest rates were in Curitiba (1.45%), due to electricity fees (12.64%), and Fortaleza (1.43%) due to gasoline results (5.65%), landline telephones (2.72%), bottled gas (3.64%) and electricity (2.32%). The smallest index was in São Paulo (0.49%). 

IPCA has been calculated by IBGE since 1980. It refers to families with monthly income of one to forty minimum wages, whatever the source. It encompasses nine metropolitan areas in the country, besides the municipalities of Goiânia and Brasília. 

In order to measure January IPCA the prices collected from December 30, 2003 to January 28, 2004 (reference) were compared with the ones in effect from November 26 to December 29, 2003 (base). 

INPC of January had change of 0.83%

In January, the National Consumer Price Index - INPC recorded a change of 0.83% and was 0.29% higher than December's rate (0.54%). INPC of January, 2003 had a change of 2.47%. Over the last twelve months, the cumulative index was 8.62%, a lower result than that of the previous twelve months (10.38%).

Prices of food products rose 0.97% in January, but in December they were 0.30%. Non-food products rose 0.77%, a higher result than December's (0.65%).

The highest rate by area was registered in Curitiba (1.62%), and the lowest in São Paulo (0.32%).

INPC has been calculated by IBGE since 1979. It refers to families with monthly income of one to eight minimum wages, whatever the source. It encompasses nine metropolitan areas in the country, besides the municipalities of Goiânia and Brasília. 

In order to measure December INPC the prices collected from December 30, 2003 to January 28, 2004 (reference) were compared with the ones in effect from November 26 to December 29, 2003 (base).