The National Index of Construction (Sinapi), calculated by IBGE in partnership with Caixa Econômica Federal, changed by 0.32% in April. There was deceleration of 0.62 percentage points in relation to March (0.94%), explained by the decrease of the two components of the index, material and manpower, being the latter the highlight due to the reduction of salary readjustments in the states. In the year, the index accumulated was 1.98%; in the last 12 months, 11.62%.

The current index was slightly below the figure in April, 0.37%, as well as the index accumulated in the last twelve months (11.62%) versus 11.67% in the immediately previous twelve months. 

The national cost of construction by square meter changed from R$ 688.00 (March) to R$ 690.19 (April), being R$ 403.49 relative to expenditure with material and R$ 286.70 to manpower. 

Material changed by 0.24%, pointing to decrease of 0.47 percentage points in relation to March (0.71%), being this one the lowest change since June 2007. Manpower also presented strong deceleration, changing from 1.28% to 0.43%, with decrease of 0.85 percentage points, due to the lower incidence of salary readjustments in April (Ceará) compared to March (Paraíba, Bahia and Rio de Janeiro). 

In 2009, material and manpower had the same accumulated figure (1.98%). In 12 months, the results were 13.14% (material) and 9.54% (manpower). 

Northeast Region was the highlight in April 

All the areas had deceleration in the monthly indexes, from March to April: North (from 0.46% to 0.23%), Northeast (from 1.72% to 0.64%), Southeast (0.93% to 0.25%), South (0.25% to 0.13%) and Central West (0.39% to 0.15%).

In spite of having the most significant decrease (1.08 percentage points), the Northeast Region once again became a highlight among the others, as it had already occurred in March; a significant contribution this time was the Ceará index (3.30%).   

In relation to the accumulated results, the highest in the year was that of the Northeast Region (3.23%), and in the last 12 months, the North Region (13.11%). In these same periods, the lowest accumulated results were the ones in the South and Southeast Region (1.06% and 11.18%, respectively).

The regional costs by square meter were: R$ 729.87 (Southeast); R$ 685.69 (North); R$ 674,14 (South); R$ 653.87 (Central West) and R$ 653.36 (Northeast).

Ceará had biggest increase 

Due to the pressure exerted by salary readjustments of professional categories, the cost of construction in Ceará had the biggest increase in April. All the other states had changes below 0.50%, being the lowest ones those of Amapá, 0.01%; Pará, 0.06%; Federal District, 0.07%; Pernambuco and Bahia, 0.08%; and Piauí, 0.09%.

Paraíba had the highest figure accumulated in the year (5.95%), followed by Rio de Janeiro (5.19%), whereas Acre was the highlight in the last 12 months (15.14%).  

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 for the calculation of costs in public construction.

APRIL/09

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

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