SEPTEMBER IPCA REMAINS AT 0.33% AND ACCRUES A RATE OF 5.49% IN THE YEAR

The Extensive Consumer Price Index – IPCA in the month of September registered a change of 0.33% and decreased to less than half (0.36 percentage point) of August’s rate, that was of 0.69%.  In September 2003, the rate was of 0.78%.

With September’s result, the IPCA accrued 5.49% in the year, below the percentage rate of 8.05% for the same period of 2003.  In the last twelve months, the index remained at 6.70%, below the result of the previous twelve months (7.18%).

Food products, which registered a negative variation of 0.19%, demonstrated a strong deceleration compared to the previous month, when it registered a high of 0.85%.  With the decrease of 1.04 percentage point, it was the main responsible factor for the decrease of the rate in the passing from August to September.  Several products became less expensive, especially those that are susceptible to the weather and that exerted pressure in last month’s results.  With the absence of problems that could harm harvests and decrease the supply, there were significant price decreases for onions (-17.43%), tomatoes (-15.90%) and vegetables (-9.24%).  Highlights among several other product that became less expensive included: manioc flour (-6.45%), carioca beans (-4.99%), rice (-3.58%) and fish (-2.80%).

In its turn, sugarcane exercised the greatest influence on the prices of its derivatives and made refined sugar increase less: it passed from 14.67% in August to 9.38% in September.  In the meantime, crystal passed from 5.42% to 2.50%.  In the same way, alcohol fuel, that registered a change of 11.49% in August, only increased 1.21% in September.  This decrease in the growth rate of alcohol prices reflected on its mixture in the composition of gasoline: it passed from 1.64% in August to –0.70% in September.  Other products also registered negative variations, as was the case with personal hygiene items (from 0.52% to –1.47%) and kitchen gas (from –0.95% to –0.81%).

On the other hand, the landline telephone bills, whose change in August was of 0.62%, became 3.13% more expensive with the extra readjustment for fixed to fixed services in all regions in September.  It was the greatest individual contribution to the month’s index (0.10 percentage point).  In addition to telephony, the water and sewage bill’s value increased 2.16%, which reflected the readjustment that took place in the end of August in the metropolitan area of São Paulo.  As for the tariffs of urban busses, that had an increase of 0.52% in August, they remained stable in September.  The non-food products group had a variation of 0.49% in September, registering below August’s result of 0.64%.

Among the regions, the greatest index was registered in Goiânia (0.77%), mainly due to the variation of the electric energy item (9.21%).  The lowest index was registered in Curitiba (-0.08%).

The IPCA is calculated by the IBGE since 1980, and it refers to the families with monetary earnings of 01 to 40 minimum wages, from any source, and covers nine metropolitan areas in the country, in addition to the municipal district of Goiânia and Brasília.  Prices collected in the period of August 27th through September 27th (reference) were compared with the prices valid during the period to July 29th through August 26th (base) to calculate the index.

The following table includes the regional indexes for the last two months.

SEPTEMBER INPC WAS OF 0.17% AND ACCRUED RATE OF 4.59% IN THE YEAR

The National Consumer Price Index – INPC registered a change of 0.17% in September and was 0.33 percentage points below August’s rate (0.50%).  In September 2003, the INPC had a variation of 0.82%. 

With this result, the INPC accrued a rate of 4.59% in the year, below the percentage of 8.96% for the same period of 2003.  In the last twelve months, the rate registered at 5.95%, below the result of the previous twelve months (6.64%).

          The food roducts group had a negative change of 0.23%, below the rate of 0.76% that was registered in August.  Non-food products had a change of 0.35%, a result that was lower than August’s (0.39%).

The greatest regional index was registered in Goiânia (1.02%), while Curitiba (-0.31%) registered the lowest result.

          The INPC is calculated by the IBGE since 1979, and refers to families with 01 to 08 minimum wages, with the income-earning head of the household, and covers nine metropolitan areas in the country, in addition to the municipal district of Goiânia and Brasília.  Prices collected in the period of August 27th through September 27th (reference) were compared with the prices valid during the period to July 29th through August 26th (base) to calculate the index. 

The following table includes the regional indexes for the last two months.