The National Index of Construction, calculated by IBGE in partnership with Caixa Econômica Federal, changed by 0.42% in April. There was increase of 0.22 percentage points in comparison with March (0.20%). The rate accumulated in the year was 1.36%; in 12 months, 5.63%.

In comparison with April 2005 (0.79%), the current index was 0.37 percentage points lower.

The national cost by square meter is now R$ 550.51, being R$ 320.93 relative to material and R$ 229.58 to manpower.

In April, the part relative to material remained practically stable (0.02%), the lowest percentage observed in the time series, which started in 2001. That means decrease of 0.29 percentage point in relation to March (0.31%).

Manpower, on the contrary, with change of 0.97%, surpassed the rate of March (0.04%) by 0.93 percentage point and strongly affected the national index (0.42%).

Concerning the indexes accumulated in the year, material rose 1.14%, a figure significantly below the index of the same period of 2005 (3.11%). In terms of manpower, the index was 1.66%, also below the rate of 2005 (2.00%).

In the last 12 months, the following changes were observed: 4.36% (material) and 7.47% (manpower).

Northeast and Southeast Regions had the highest indexes

The Northeast Region had the highest regional index in April (0.61%), as a consequence of the salary readjustments occurred in Ceará and of the paying of increments to salary readjustments which had been granted in January, in the state of Bahia.

The index in the Southeast Region had the second biggest change (0.57%), also a consequence of salary readjustments, this time in Rio de Janeiro. The remaining regional changes were considerably lower than the national index (0.42%), with 0.10% in the North, 0.08% in the Central West and 0.04% in the South Region.

In terms of the highest accumulated rates, the highlights in the year were: Northeast Region (2.44%), and, in 12 months, the North Region (6.84%). The lowest results in this period occurred in the South (0.57% and 4.73%, respectively).

The regional costs were: R$ 588.34 (Southeast); R$ 550.59 (South); R$ 531.61 (North); R$ 520.77 (Central West) and R$ 509.89 (Northeast).

Among the states, the highlights are Rio de Janeiro and Ceará

Reflecting the salary readjustments of manpower, the states of Rio de Janeiro (3.17%) and Ceará (2.15%) had the biggest monthly changes in April. Also with a significant percentage (0.73%), was the state of Bahia, due to the paying of increments to salary readjustments which had been granted in January. The remaining state indexes, all extremely below the national result (0.42%), were 0.00% in Santa Catarina and 0.19% in Amapá.