The Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) of January increased 0.54%, below the rate of 0.74%, referent to December.  Considering the last 12 months, the result (4.56%) however was above the rate of the 12 immediately previous months (4.46%).  In January 2007, the IPCA had been 0.44%.  Beans brought the main individual contribution to the index of January (0.08 percentage points).

Food products, although still influencing the IPCA, with hike of 1.52% and contribution of 0.33 percentage points, representing more than half of the index, had a considerably lower change in January than in December (2.06%).  The metropolitan areas of Salvador (2.34%) and Belém (2.17%) brought the major results in the group food products and beverages.  On the other hand, in Porto Alegre (0.04%), the prices were close to stability from one month to the next.

From December to January, some important food products in the consumption of families had lower increase of prices.  It was the case of meats, which changed from a rate of 8.20% to 0.29%, jerked meat, from 8.99% to 0.13%, and pullets, from 5.01% to 1.43%.

Despite the lower rate from one month to the next, beans (32.00% in December and 14.02% in January) represented the major contribution to the IPCA: 0.08 percentage points.  Carioca beans fell from 38.61% to 11.93%, while black beans increased from 12.47% to 21.76%.

Among food products, the following price reductions in January stood out: potatoes (-10.00%), carrots (-4.66%), pasteurized milk (-1.28%) and green vegetables (-0.88%).  On the other hand, among those which most increased from December to January, stood out tomatoes (from -4.13% to 35.12%), onions (from 6.67% to 22.21%) and eggs (from 1.85% to 5.56%).

Non-food products increased 0.29% in January, also below the value of December (0.38%).  This occurred mainly due to fuels, with a change from 1.58% to -0.33%. The liter of alcohol fuel, which had increased 9.35% in December, had a decrease of 1.12% in January, influencing in the price of the liter of gasoline, which also fell (-0.38%) in the previous month, after increasing 1.03% in December.

There was also decrease in electricity (-0.53%) and apparel (-0.08%).  Besides this, the consequence of the readjustment of cigarettes was 0.90% in January, while in December it had been 3.53%.

One of the main increases among non-food products in January was urban bus fares, with a change of 1.19% due to the fares of Rio de Janeiro (2.94%), Belo Horizonte (4.50%) and Recife (4.03%).  In Rio de Janeiro there was a readjustment of 5.00% in December 15; in Belo Horizonte, 5.00 % in December 30; and in Recife, 9.37 % in January 14.

Inter-municipal bus fares (1.18%) also increased, a result influenced by changes in Porto Alegre (4.60%) and Belo Horizonte (3.38%), as a consequence of the average increases of 4.44% and 5.00% respectively.

The result of the IPCA of January was influenced by the items household employees (0.88%), residential rents (0.64%), condominium maintenance fees (0.40%) and health plans (0.52%).

The major results were registered in the metropolitan areas of Belém and Belo Horizonte, both with 0.87%.  In Belém, food products were the main contributors (with hike of 2.16% and 0.68 percentage points of contribution).  In Belo Horizonte, the change of 4.50% in urban bus fares led to a contribution of 0.18 percentage points.  Porto Alegre (0.12%) had the lowest rate of the month.

IPCA is calculated by the IBGE since 1980, and it refers to families whose monetary income from any source, ranges from 1 to 40 minimum wages. It encompasses nine metropolitan areas, besides the municipality of Goiânia and Brasília. To calculate the index of the month, prices collected from December 28 to January 29 (reference period) were compared to those charged from November 27 to December 27 (base period).

INPC begins the year of 2008 with 0.69%

The National Consumer Price Index (INPC) increased 0.69% in January, below the result of December (0.97%).  In the last 12 months, the index was 5.36%, above the rate of 5.16% of the 12 immediately previous months.  In January 2007, the INPC had been 0.49%.

Food products increased 1.67% in January, while non-food products increased 0.32%.

The major index by area was registered in Belo Horizonte (1.08%), and the lowest index, in Porto Alegre (0.10%). 

The INPC is calculated by IBGE since 1979 and it refers to families headed by a salaried worker, with monetary income from one to six minimum wages.  It encompasses nine metropolitan areas, of the country besides the municipality of Goiânia and Brasília.  To calculate the index of the month, prices collected from December 28 to January 29 (reference period) were compared to prices charged from November 27 to December 27 (base period).