The Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA-15) changed by 0.21% in April and was above the March rate (0.15%) by 0.06 percentage points (p.p). There had been no record of a lower result in April since 2006, when the index was 0.17%. As a consequence, the rate in the year was 1.22%, significantly less than the 3.2% relative to the same period in the previous year. The index of the last twelve months fell to 4.41%, below the 4.73% of the previous 12 months. That was the lowest cumulative change in 12-month periods since January 2010 (4.31%). In April 2016, the rate was 0.51%

The complete IPCA-15 data are available here.

In the month, Food and beverages, with a change of 0.31% and impact of 0.08 percentage points (p.p), together with Health and personal care, with 0.91% and 0.10 p.p., were the main groups contributiog to the IPCA-15. The table below shows the results for all the groups of products and services surveyed.

In Food products (0.31%), tomato, 30.79% more expensive, was a highlight in terms of biggest contributions to the index. Other products also recorded price rise from March to April, for example, potato (11.63%), eggs(5.50%) and long-life milk (1.49%).

In Health and personal care (0.91%), the biggest change was that of medicines, a highlight with 0.86%, reflecting part of the anual price adjustment in effect since March 1st: between 1.36% and 4.76%, depending on the type of medicine. Health insurance (1.07%), personal hygiene articles (0.92%) and medical and dental services (0.89%) also influenced the result.

In the group Housing (0.39%) the highlight was bottled gas, which became 3.16% more expensive, whereaselectricity bills (0.00%) did not record any changes versus the results of the previous month. That happened because, in spite of the effect of the EER (electricity reserve fee) discount, electricity bills also relfected the start of the yellow and red tariff flags, which went into effect on the 1st of March and April, respectively. Besides, together with movements in parcels relative to PIS/COFINS in all the areas surveyed, there was partial adjustment in the tariffs charged by one of the concessionaries in Rio de Janeiro and decrease in the other.

Among the other groups the highlights were the decreases observed in Household articles (-0.43%) andTransportation (-0.44%). ConsideringTransportation (-0.44%), in spite of the hike of 15.32% in air fares , the result was influenced by the fall of prices of fuels (-2.77%). The liter of gasoline was 2.24% cheaper and the liter of ethanol recorded a decrease of 5.48%.

As for indexes by area, shown in the table below, the metropolitan area of Recife recorded the biggest result (0.53%) due to the hike recorded in gasoline, 5.03%. The lowest index was that of the metropolitan area ofBelo Horizonte (-0.07%), where fuels recorded a change of -3.32%.

In order to estimate IPCA-15, the prices collected from March 15 to April 12, 2017 (reference) were compared with the ones in force from February 14 to March 14, 2017 (base). The indicator refers to families 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, and also Brasília and 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.

Social Communication
April 20, 2017