Rio, June 17, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - With a variation of 0.57%, the Weekly Consumer Price Index (IPC-S), compiled by the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV) between May 9 and June 8, resumed the tendency for the rate of inflation to slow down, a tendency interrupted when the index was last released, on May 26.

Accordinjg to the FGV, acceleration in the Food group relented, falling from 0.55% to 0.35%. Economists from the Foundation explained that, despite this decline, the current rate has still not returned to the level of 0.25% registered in May, due to readjustments in the prices of rice and dairy products, which "could delay even more the already slow process of deceleration in inflation." Al the other groups of expenditures demonstrated declines. (DAS)