Rio, 12/24/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Inflation as measured by the Weekly Consumer Price Index (Índice de Preços ao Consumidor Semanal) (IPC-S), which is conducted by the Fundação Getúlio Vargasm (FGV), found a slight drop in inflation during the second week of December. The result was 0.42%, a drop of 0.08 percentage points from the last survey (first week of December).

According to the FGV, prices were pressured upwards by Clothing and Diverse Expenses prices. However, other price groups (Food, Transporatation, Education) were stable; and others (Health, Personal Care and Housing) even fell in this latest survey. (AB)