In February, the National Index of Construction (SINAPI), calculated by IBGE in partnership with Caixa Econômica, changed by 0.32%, and was slightly below the rate of January (0.39%). In 2009, the index accumulated in the year was 0.71 and in the last twelve months, 11.55%. The index was 0.11 percentage points below the result in February 2008 (0.43%); the rate accumulated in the last twelve months (11.55%) was also below the 11.68% of the immediately previous twelve months.

The national cost of construction by square meter changed from R$ 679.41 (January) to R$ 681.58 (February), being R$ 399.70 relative to expenses with material; and R$ 281.88, with manpower. The part relative to material rose by 0.49% in February, keeping, this way, the deceleration trend observed since October last year. Manpower also faced decrease, with a rate of 0.08% in February versus 0.18% in January. Both results were lower than the ones in February 2008 (0.67% and 0.10%, respectively).

In 2009, the rise of material reached 1.02%; in 12 months, it reached 13.42%. In these same periods, manpower had accumulated figures of 0.27% and 9.01%.

North and Southeast Regions had main hikes 

In the group of geographic areas, the North (0.60%) and the Southeast (0.35%) were the highlights in February. These Regions had the main hikes, and were above the national average (0.32%). The other results were: Nordeste, 0.32%; Central West, 0.16%; and South, 0.14%.

The North Region also had the highest accumulated indexes in the year (0.90%) and in twelve months (13.11%). The South and the Northeast Region, on the contrary, had the lowest indexes accumulated in the year  and in the last twelve months, (0.56%) and (10.95%), respectively.

 The regional costs by square meter were R$ 721.35 in the Southeast; R$ 680.98 in the North; R$ 671.58 in the South; R$ 650.37 in the Central West; and R$ 638.27 in the Northeast.

Pará had the highest increase among the states

Due to the pressure exerted by salary readjustments of several professional categories, Pará was the highlight in February, with monthly change of 1.12%. Maranhão had the highest index accumulated in the year (3.20%) and Acre, the highest index accumulated in the last twelve months (15.34%). 

These results are calculated monthly by IBGE through a partnership with CAIXA - Caixa Econômica Federal, for Sinapi - National System of Costs Survey and Indexes of Construction.

Sinapi, created in 1969, is aimed at producing information and indexes for national coverage in a systematic way, in order to help in the elaboration and evaluation of budgets, monitoring of costs, adequacy of material and the scheduling of investments. 

In 2002, the National Congress sanctioned, through the law LDO (Budgetary Directives Law), the use of Sinapi as the reference to the calculation of costs in public construction.

                       FEBRUARY/09

Source: IBGE, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Índices de Preços.

NOTE: These results are calculated monthly by IBGE in partnership with Caixa Econômica Federal.