The Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA), which calculates the country’s official inflation, rose 0.71% in March, slowing down compared to February, when there was an increase of 0.84%. In March 2022, the index had risen by 1.62%.
The greatest impact (0.43 percentage points – pp) and the greatest change (2.11%) in the index came from the Transport group, last month.
With an increase of 8.33%, gasoline represented the greatest individual impact on the March index (0.39 pp) and had a great influence on the group’s behavior. Ethanol advanced 3.20%. The data were disclosed today (11) by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
For the research analyst, André Almeida, the return of the collection of federal taxes at the beginning of that month was the reason for the increase in gasoline and ethanol prices. “The results for gasoline and ethanol were mainly influenced by the return of federal tax collection at the beginning of the month, established by Provisional Measure No. 1157/2023. There was, therefore, the forecast for the return of the PIS / Cofins charge on these fuels from March 1st, ”he said.
Still in the transport group, vehicular gas registered a drop of 2.61% and diesel oil, of 3.71%. Airfares, which had retreated 9.38% in February, fell 5.32% this time. Readjustments in taxi fares in Belo Horizonte, in intercity buses in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, in addition to urban buses in four areas covered by the index, also influenced Transport.
Accumulated
In the year, the IPCA accumulates an increase of 2.09% and, in the last 12 months, of 4.65%, a lower percentage than the 5.60% registered in the immediately previous period. This was the lowest IPCA in 12 months since January 2021.
Other groups
Following discharges, there were health and personal care (0.82%) and housing (0.57%). In both cases, decelerations were observed in relation to February, contributing with 0.11 pp and 0.09 pp, respectively. The health and personal care group was pressured, especially by the 1.20% increase in the health plan, which continues to incorporate the monthly installments of the new and old plans referring to the 2022-2023 cycle. In the housing group, the biggest impact (0.09 pp) came from residential electricity, which rose 2.23%.
The drop in food at home, which went from a high of 0.04% in February to a decrease of 0.14% in March, was the cause of the increase of 0.05% in food and beverages. Another group that had an increase (0.50%) was the communication group. In the opposite movement, the group of household items, which fell 0.27% after rising 0.11% in February, was the only surveyed to register a fall this month.
The negative changes in March, in the items of television, sound and information technology (-1.77%) were the main reasons for the group’s behavior. “The promotions carried out during the consumer week, which took place in March, may have had an influence”, reported the analyst.
Regions
In the regional indices, all areas increased in March, with the greatest change registered in Porto Alegre (1.25%). The cause was the increase in gasoline prices (10.63%) and residential electricity prices (9.79%). Fortaleza, with a rise of 0.35%, was the lowest variation in the month, with drops of 17.94% in the price of tomatoes and 2.91% in the whole chicken.
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According to the IBGE, the IPCA is calculated based on families with incomes of 1 to 40 minimum wages, residing in the metropolitan areas of Belém, Fortaleza, Recife, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Vitória, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, in addition to the Federal District and the municipalities of Goiânia, Campo Grande, Rio Branco, São Luís and Aracaju.
