The  Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) of January changed by 0.48% and was 0.20 percentage points above the rate recorded in December (0.28%).  In the last twelve months, the change was 5.84%, slightly below the rate of the immediately previous twelve months (5.90%).   In January 2008 the rate had been 0.54%.

Food products changed from 0.36%, in December, to 0.75%, in January, accounting for 0.17 percentage points in the calculation of the IPCA.  Among the important items in the household consumption which increased from one month to the next, stood out the following products: black beans (from -6.95% to 0.84%), carioca beans (from -19.02% to 3.47%), fruits (from -1.09% to 2.98%), potatoes (from 1.87% to 15.01%) and carrots (from 7.75% to 18.24 %).

With the major individual contribution of the month (0.12 percentage points), urban bus tariffs changed by 3.24%, while intermunicipal bus tariffs increased by 2.92%.  These results were a consequence of readjustments which occurred in the end of 2008 and in the beginning of this year.  As a consequence, the group Transportation changed from -3.00%, in December, to 0.35% in January.  The item Own Vehicle continued decreasing (from -0.73% to -1.38%) standing out the results of new automobiles (from -1.99% to -3.15%) and used automobiles (from -2.76% to -3.27%).

Fuels changed from -0.04%, in December, to 0.53%, in January, as a consequence of the results of gasoline (from -0.09% to 0.42%) and alcohol (from -0.04% to 0.71%).

From December to January, the increase in the result of Housing (from 0.28% to 0.49%) was influenced by the acceleration of the rate residential rents (from 0.56% to 1.01%) and condominium maintenance fees (from -0.08% to 1.09%).

Household Items changed from -0.04% in December, to 0.45% in January, as a consequence, mainly, of the result of household appliances (from 0.01% to 0.77%) and TV and Audio equipment (from -1.07% to 0.48%).

In the group Health and Personal Care (from 0.32% to 0.55%), stood out the hike in the prices of medicines (from -0.11% to 0.61%).  In Personal Expenditures (from 0.59% to 0.65%), the highlight was Recreation (from 0.21% to 0.59%) as a consequence of hikes in the items movies (from 0.34% to 1.27%) and hotel (from 0.07% to 2.60%).

The group Apparel was the only one with deceleration of prices from one month to the next (from 0.99% to 0.05%).  Also, non-food products recorded change of 0.40%, above the rate of December (0.26%).  Below we may observe the results of all the groups:

 Among the indexes by areas, Belo Horizonte (1.12%) brought the highest result due to the hike of urban buses (9.00%) and intermunicipal buses (8.42%), which recorded the complementary part of the  readjustments which occurred in the end of the last year.  In Recife (-0.17%), where the group food products and beverages brought the lowest result of the month (-0.38%), deflation was recorded.  Following, we may observe the table with the monthly results by surveyed area. 

To calculate the index of the month, prices collected in the period December 30 to January 28 (reference period) were compared to prices charged in the period November 27 to December 29 (base period).  The IPCA is calculated by IBGE since 1980, and it refers to families with monetary income from any source ranging from 01 to 40 minimum wages. It covers nine metropolitan areas of the country, besides the municipality of Goiânia and Brasília.

In January, INPC increased by 0.64%

The National Consumer Price Index - INPC increased by 0.64% in January, considerably above the result of 0.29% of December.  In the last twelve months, the change was 6.43%, a result slightly below the immediately previous rate (6.48%).  In January 2008 the INPC had been 0.69%.

Food products recorded change of 0.53%, in January, a result above the one of December (0.12%).   Non-food products increased in January by 0.69% and in December by 0.36%. 

Regarding the areas surveyed, the major result came from Belorizonte (1.50%), where the urban buses tariffs changed 9.00% and the intermunicipal buses tariffs, 8.42%, recording the complementary part of the readjustments which occurred in the end of last year.  In Recife (-0.09%), where the group Food Products and Beverages recorded the lowest result of the month (-0.40%), there was deflation.

To calculate the index of the month, prices collected in the period December 30 to January 28  (reference period) were compared to prices charged in the period November 27 to December 29 (base period). INPC is calculated by IBGE since 1979, it refers to families, headed by a salaried worker, with monetary income ranging from 01 to 06 minimum wages. It covers nine metropolitan areas of the country, besides the municipality of Goiânia and Brasília.

The table below presents the indexes by area surveyed.