The National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) changed by 0.31% ) in November and was similar to the October figure (0.33%). With this result, the index accumulated in the year was 2.65%, below that of the same period last year (5.31%). The rate accumulated in the last twelve  months was 3.02%, a result below the 3.26% obtained for the previously twelve months. In November 2005, the index was 0.55%.

Food products rose 1.05% and represented a contribution of 0.21% percentage point to IPCA. In October, this group had a similar result, 0.88%. Therefore, food products and beverages accounted for about 70% of the index in November. In the period between harvests, tomatoes became 29.63% more expensive. The consumer is now also paying higher prices for rice (5.32%) and beans (3.03%), and chicken (5.77%). Several prices of other products have risen throughout the month, being the main ones listed below:

Besides food products, cigarettes were one of the highlights in the month, with increase of 4.63% due to readjustments occurrying in Porto Alegre (9.17%), São Paulo (8.18%) and Curitiba (6.89%). Cigarettes and tomatoes, with 0.04 percentage point each, were the main individual contributions to the November IPCA.

The changes in apparel (0.65%) and health insurance (0.75%) were similar to those last year (0.64% and 0.76% respectively). Concerning fuels, the alcohol (-0.86%) fell much less than in the previous month (-3.28%), whereas in terms of gasoline (from -0.11% to -0.17%), the reduction was more significant.

From October to November the highlights were the falls observed in electricity (from 0.31% to -0.57%) and medicines (from 0.01% to -0.17%). Due to these contributions, non-food products changed by 0.12%, less than food products (1.05%).

In terms of indexes by area, the highest result was registered in Curitiba (0.63%), where several relevant items to the family budget had increase above average, for example, alcohol (2.95%) gasoline (2.27%) medicines (1,86%), food products (1.21%) and apparel (1.04%). The lowest index was that of Porto Alegre (0.13%). The table below shows the results by area surveyed.

For the calculation of the November index, prices collected from October 28th to November 28th (reference) were compared to prices in effect from September 27th to October 27th (base). The IPCA has been calculated by IBGE since 1980 and it refers to families with monetary income, from any source, ranging from 1 to 40 minimum salaries.  It includes nine metropolitan areas of the country, besides the municipalities of Goiânia and Brasília.

INPC was 0.42% in November

The National Consumer price Index (INPC) changed by 0.42% in November, a result similar to that observed in October (0.43%). With this result, the index accumulated in the years was 2.18%, below that of the same period last year (4.63%). The rate relative to the last twelve months was 2.59%, a low result, if compared to the 2.71% relative to the immediately previous twelve months. In November 2005, the index was 0.54%.

The INPC has been calculated by IBGE since 1979, it refers to families with monetary income from 01 to 06 minimum salaries, headed by a salaried worker, and includes nine metropolitan areas of the country, besides the municipalities of Goiânia and Brasília.  To calculate the index of the month, prices collected in the period October  28th to November 28th  (reference) were compared to prices charged in the period from September 27th  to October 27th (base).

Considering the INPC of the month, food products changed by 1.14%, whereas non-food products, by 0.15%.

The highest index was registered in Curitiba (0.71%). The lowest result was that of Rio de Janeiro (0.14%).

The table below shows the results by area surveyed.