The Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) changed by 0.47% in May, being 0.30 percentage points below the April rate (0.77%). The index accumulated in 2011 was 3.71%, that is, 0.62 percentage points above the rate of the same period in 2010 (3.09%). In the last twelve months, the index was 6.55%, slightly above the 6.51% relative to the immediately previous months. In May 2010 the rate was 0.43%.

The activity transportation was very relevant to the decrease of IPCA from April to May. From a hike of 1.57% in April, the group faced decrease of 0.24% in May, mainly due to the performance of fuels, which changed from 6.53% in April to -0.35% in May. The liter of ethanol fell by 11.34% in May, after having risen 11.20% in April, and, as a result, represented the main negative contribution  to the index in the month: -0.06 percentage points. The liter of gasoline fell from 6.26% in April to 0.85% in May. Airfares (from -9.42% in April to -11.57% in May), new cars (from -0.28% in April to -0.58% in May) and used cars (from -0.53% in April to -1.26% in May) also contributed to the lower result of this group in the month.

Besides transportation, apparel (from 1.42% in April to 1.19% in May) and health and personal care (from 0.98% to 0.73%) also recorded deceleration in May, in spite of their relatively high results.

Food products recorded slight increase from April to May, having changed from 0.58% to 0.63%, being the main highlights: tomatoes (from -18.69% to 9.41%) and pasteurized milk (from 2.66% to 3.15%). On the other hand, some food products faced fall of prices in May, for example: whole chicken (from 0.03% in April to -2.02% in May); eggs (from 4.41% to  -1.15%); black beans (from 0.31% to -0.83%), among others.

Among the nine groups of products and services included in the survey, four other, besides food products and beverages, recorded acceleration of the rate from April to May, as shown in the table below. In housing (from 0.77% in April to 0.97% in May), the highlight was the rise of water and sewage services (from 1.00% in April to 2.32% in May), due to readjustments in the metropolitan areas of Belo Horizonte and Salvador, besides Goiânia. Another highlight was residential rents, which rose from 0.76% in April to 0.95% in May.

The group personal expenses (from 0.57% in April to 0.72% in May), there were repeated rises, mainly of the salary of domestic workers, from 0.54% in April to 1.14% in May.  

As a result, the group of non-food products had its rate change reduced from 0.83% in April to 0.42% in May.

Among the areas, Belo Horizonte recorded the highest index (0.70%), due to readjustments of water and sewage services and electricity. The lowest index was that of Brasília (0.02%), where fuels faced significant decrease, of 3.35% (gasoline, -2.23%, and ethanol, -18.04%).

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 it encompasses nine metropolitan areas in the country, besides the municipalities of Goiânia and Brasília. In order to measure the index of the month, the prices collected from April 29 to May 27, 2011 (reference) were compared with the ones collected from March 30 to April 28, 2011 (base).

INPC changed by 0.57% in May

The National Consumer Price Index (INPC) recorded change of 0.57% in May, being 0.15 percentage points below the April result (0.72%). The index accumulated in 2011 is 3.48%, slightly below the rate of 3.50% relative to the same period in 2010. In the last 12 months, the index was 6.44%, higher than those of the immediately previous 12 months (6.30%). In May 2010, INPC had been 0.43%.

Food products recorded change of 0.58% in May, whereas non-food products rose 0.57%. In April, the results had been 0.63% and 0.76%, respectively.

Among the areas, Belo Horizonte recorded the highest index (0.86%), as well as PPCA, due to readjustments of water and sewage fares and electricity. The lowest index was that of Brasília (0.15%), where fuels faced the significant decrease of 4.62% (gasoline, -2.23%; and ethanol, -18.04%). See the table below:

INPC has been calculated by IBGE since 1979. It refers to families with monthly income of one to six minimum wages, with a salaried head of the household, and it encompasses nine metropolitan areas in the country, besides the municipalities of Goiânia and Brasília. In order to measure the index of the month, the prices collected from April 29 to May 27, 2011 (reference) were compared with the ones collected from March 30 to April 28, 2011 (base).