Rio de Janeiro, 28 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Institute of Applied Economic Studies (IPEA) is foreseeing that the Broad Consumer Price Index - used to measure inflation targets - will reach the end of 2002 at 4.7%. This result would be higher than the 3.5% target established for 2002, but still within a margin of tolerance of 2 percentage points.

IPEA is also predicting declining interest rates and an average currency devaluation of 7.1% for 2002. The expectation is that, by the end of the year, the interest rate will be 17% a year and the US dollar will be worth approximately R$ 2.61. (MW)