The Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) closed October at 0.75% and was above the 0.45% rate of the previous month in 0.30 percentage point...

The Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) closed October at 0.75% and was above the 0.45% rate of the previous month in 0.30 percentage point. With this result, the accumulated in the year was 4.38%, above the 3.50% related to the same period of 2009. Considering the last 12 months, IPCA changed to 5.20%, above the accumulated in the immediately previous 12 months (4.70%). In October 2009, the index had been 0.28%.

In the group Food products and beverages the rise was sharper than that of the previous month, changing from 1.08% in September to 1.89% in October. With this result, the 0.75% IPCA of the month had 0.43 percentage point from contribution by food products, what means that the group accounted for 57% of the index. The next table shows monthly variations and contributions during the year, observing the October was characterized by the highest rate of the group Food products and beverages since June 2008, when it reached the 2.11% percentage.

IPCA has been calculated by IBGE since 1980. It refers to families with monthly income of one to 40 minimum wages, whatever the source, and encompasses nine metropolitan areas in the country, besides the municipality of Goiânia and Brasília. For the calculation of the month, prices collected from September29 to October 28, 2010 (reference), were compared to those in effect from August 28 to September 28, 2010 (base).

INPC was 0.92% in October

The National Consumer Price Index (INPC) of October closed at 0.92% and was above the 0.54% rate of the previous month in 0.38 percentage point. With the result of October, the accumulated in the year was 4.75%, above the 3.48% rate concerning the same period of 2009. Considering the last 12 months, the index was 5.39%, above the 4.68% related to the immediately previous 12 months. In October 2009, INPC had been 0.24%. Food products changed from 1.20% in September to 2.21% in October, whereas non-food products ranged from 0.26% to 0.37%. Among regional indexes, the highest was found in Goiânia (1.33%), where food products increased 3.83%. The lowest was that of Rio de Janeiro (0.42%), where food products (1.01%) increased less.

INPC has been calculated by IBGE since 1979. It refers to families with monthly income of one to six minimum wages, with a salaried householder, and encompasses nine metropolitan areas in the country, besides the municipality of Goiânia and Brasília. For the calculation of the month, prices collected from September 29 to October 28, 2010 (reference), were compared to those in effect from August 28 to September 28, 2010 (base).

The highlight among Food products were carioca beans, the most consumed type in the country, whose prices increased 31.42% just in October. In the year, the price of carioca beans more than doubled, accumulating a rise of 109.78%. Considering all the surveyed types of beans, variation was 23.48%, in October and 76.74% in the year. The item meats, with an increase of 3.48%, made the greatest individual contribution of the month, 0.08 percentage point, followed by carioca beans, with 0.07 point. Few food products became cheaper, with onions (-6.46%) and rice (-1.14%) standing out.

Among non-food products variation was also wide, changing from 0.27% in September to 0.41% in October. Most of the surveyed groups of products and services presented rise between months. Exerting pressure on the index of the month, fuels increased 1.56% and got second place in contribution order, with 0.07 percentage point. The liter of ethanol became 7.41% more expensive than in the previous month, pressing gasoline prices, which increased 1.13%. The rise of ethanol reached 15.17% in the municipality of Goiânia, followed by the metropolitan areas of São Paulo, with 9.49%, and Curitiba, with 8.39%. Consequently, under the influence of fuels, the group Transportation presented a 0.36% variation, above the 0.13% of the previous month.

In the group Personal expenses, which changed from 0.34% to 0.64%, pressure was exerted by the salaries of domestic workers, with a 1.21% rise. Rent (0.83%), condominium fees (0.63%) and water and sewerage fees (0.52%) were responsible for the rise in the group Housing, which changed from 0.40% to 0.48%. Water and sewerage fees reflect part of the 4.15% readjustment occurred in São Paulo, beginning on September 11. In Apparel, group that changed most among non-food products, variation ranged from 0.45% to 0.89%, with highlights being footwear, 1.54% more expensive in October.

Among regional indexes, Goiânia (1.13%) had the highest results, considering food products (2.81%), gasoline (6.67%) and ethanol (15.17%). The metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro (0.42%) presented the lowest index, with food products at 0.96%, the slightest group variation among the investigated areas.