The Extended National Consumer Price Index 15 (IPCA-15) was -0.07% in July, 0.11 percentage points (p.p.) below the June rate (0.04%). The cumulative change in the year increased by 3.09% and, is below the 3.40% registered in the immediately previous 12 months. In July 2022, the rate was 0.13%.

The result of July was influencd by the results of Housing (-0.94%) and Food and beverages (-0.40%), which accounted for -0.14 p.p. and -0.09 p.p, respectively. The prices of Household articles (-0.40%) and Communication (-0.17%) also dropped. From the perspective of increases, the main impact (0.13 p.p.) and the biggest change (0.63%) came fromTransportation. The other groups stood between 0.04% in Wearing apparel and 0.38% in Personal expenses.

In the group Housing (-0.94%), the decrease in residential electricity (-3.45% and -0.14 p.p.) stood out due to the inclusion of bonuses from the Itaipu plant in the invoices issued in July. Price rises were observed in four areas of coverage of the index: Curitiba (1.62%), with 10.66% starting on June 24th; Belo Horizonte (0.98%), with 14.69% since May 28th; Porto Alegre (-4.47%), with 2.92% starting on June 19th, in one of the concessionnaires surveyed; and São Paulo (-5.47%), with adjustments of -1.13% since July 4th, in one of the concessionnaires surveyed. Also, there were drops in prices of bottled gas (-2,10%).

Water and sewage fees (0.20%) result from price rise in three metropolitan areas: 8.33% in Belém (3.18%), since May 28th; 3.45% in one of the concessionnaires of Porto Alegre (0.77%), starting on July 1st; and 8.20% in Curitiba (0.25%), since May 17th.

The drop in Food and beverages (-0.40%) was mainly due to deflation in food at home (-0.72%), which had already decreased in June. Highlights were drops in pinto beans (-10.20%), soybean oil (-6.14%), long life milk (-2.50%) and meat (-2.42%). Increases were registered in potato (10.25%) and garlic (3.74%).

Food away from home (0.46%) accelerated against the previous month (0.29%), as a result of the most significant increase in snacks (0.34% in June to 1.02% in July). Meals (0.17%) decelerated against the IPCA-15 of June (0.28%).

In Transportation (0.63%), the result was driven by the rise of gasoline prices (2.99%), the subitem accounting for the main positive impact (0.14 p.p.) on the IPCA-15 in July. Among the other fuels (2.28%), vehicle gas rose 0.06% whereas diesel and ethanoldropped 3.48% and 0.70%, respectively. Also relevant is the rise of 4.70% in airfares, which had risen by 10.70% in June.

Also in Transportation , the prices indexes of new cars (-2.34%) and of used cars (-1.05%) fell in the month. As for urban buses (-0.72%), there was a drop of 25.00% in fares in Belo Horizonte (-5.17%), in effect since July 8th.

Six areas dropped in July. The biggest increase was that of Porto Alegre (0.34%), due to the increases in gasoline (3.78%) and airfares (13.87%). The lowest change was recorded by Goiânia (-0.52%), due to a drop of 7.31% in residential electricity.

To calculate the IPCA-15, prices were collected from June 15 to July 13, 2021 (reference) and compared to those in force from May 16 to June 14, 2023 (base). The indicator refers to households with monthly income of 1 to 40 minimum wages and it encompasses the metropolitan areas of Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Recife, São Paulo, Belém, Fortaleza, Salvador, Curitiba, besides Brasília and the municipality of Goiânia. The methodology is the same as the one used for the IPCA; the difference lies in the period of price collection and in the geographic coverage.

Keywords: IPCA-15 foi de -0, 07% em julho