With a result of 0.59% in April, the Extended National  Consumer Price Index -15 (IPCA-15) had hike of 0.36 percentage points in relation to March, when it had been 0.23%.  This means that the index was more than twice as much as the one of March, accumulating 2.18% in the year 2008, more than in the same period of 2007 (1.62%).  Also, in the last 12 months, the rate of 4.94% was higher than the rate of 4.55% relative to the previous 12 months. 

From March to April, food products increased from 0.40% to 1.28%. The group answered for approximately half of the IPCA-15 of the month: 0.28 percentage points. Several products increased, especially bread rolls, 6.95% more expensive in April. This item brought the highest individual contribution: 0.08 percentage points. Besides bread, all wheat products had hike, as for example flour, 3.71% more expensive.

In April, also had increase soybean oil (8.82%), crystallized sugar (4.89%) and pasteurized milk (3.41%), among other products. 

Besides food products, other important items in the expenditures of families increased in April. Alcohol changed by 1.36%; and gasoline by 0.54%.  Apparel increased by 1.35%.  Electricity turned 1.30% more expensive, as well as water and sewage prices, which increased by 0.98%.  The articles of personal care, such as shampoo, soap etc., increased by 0.90% and medicines by 0.33%. 

Among the indexes by areas, the highest was registered in Belém (0.97%), where food products increased by 2.11 % and the lowest was observed in Brasília (0.03%).

To calculate the IPCA-15, prices collected from March 15 to April 14 were compared to those charged from February 15 to March 14.  The indicator refers to families with income from 1 to 40 minimum wages and covers the metropolitan areas of Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Recife, São Paulo, Belém, Fortaleza, Salvador and Curitiba, besides Brasília and the municipality of Goiânia.  The methodology used is the same one of the IPCA; the difference lies on the period of price collection.