The Extended National Consumer Price Index-15 (IPCA-15) had a variation of 0.94% in February, a rate superior to that of 0.52% in January. Considering the last 12 months, the index was 4.63%, also above the 12 previous months (4.31%). In February 2009, the rate had been 0.63%.

The group Education, with a rise of 4.55%, presented the widest variation and greatest contribution (0.32 percentage point, which represents 34% of the index in the month) to IPCA-15 of February. This result reflects the readjustments of the beginning of the school year, with highlights being the rises in school fares, which increased 5.38% and was the item that individually most contributed to the index of the month (0.26 percentage point). Except for Fortaleza, a metropolitan area that did not present increase due to the difference in the readjustment date, the other areas ranged from 2.01% (metropolitan area of Porto Alegre) to 7.57% (Salvador). In the fares of extra courses (languages, computer science, etc.) the variation was 4.79%.

Still from January to February, the increase of IPCA-15 may be also explained by rises in prices of food products and readjustments in fares of urban buses, which contributed with 0.14 percentage point to the result of the month.

Food products kept the upward trend and increased from 0.81%, in January, to 0.98%, in February, in the average of the surveyed areas, with Belém presenting the highest result (1.75%). Several products became more expensive, with highlights being crystallized sugar (12.13%) and refined sugar (9.94%), besides green vegetables (9.52%), rice (5.22%) and fruits (2.85%).

Fares of urban buses, with rises of 3.84%, reflected readjustments in the following metropolitan areas: Rio de Janeiro (0.91%), Porto Alegre (0.87%), São Paulo (11.11%), Belém (2.35%) and Salvador (4.54%).

Besides rises in bus fares, gasoline (1.34%) and alcohol (8.86%) also contributed to the higher result of the month. On the other hand, Apparel items presented a decrease of 0.20% due to the sale period in the market.

 As to non-food products, the rate was 0.93% and was higher than that of January (0.44%).

The results of the groups in January and February are presented below:

Among regional indexes, the highest was recorded in Belém (1.18%), where food products presented the widest variation (1.75%). Fortaleza, without readjustment in school fares, was the area that presented the lowest result (0.16%).

 For the calculation of IPCA-15, prices were collected from January 15 to February 10 and compared to those in effect from December 12 to January 14. The indicator refers to families with monthly income ranging from 1 to 40 minimum wages and comprises the metropolitan areas of Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Recife, São Paulo, Belém, Fortaleza, Salvador and Curitiba, besides Brasília and Goiânia. The methodology is the same used for IPCA; the difference lies in the period of price collection.