Rio de Janeiro, March 9, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Inflation in February, as measured by the General Price Index - Internal Supply (IGP-DI), compiled by the Getúlio Vargas Foundation, amounted to 1.08%, 0.28% higher than January's 0.80%. Adding the results for February, inflation this year rises to 1.89%, with a cumulative total of 5.69% over the past 12 months.

Wholesale prices were responsible for the increase in inflation during the month. The Wholesale Price Index (IPA) rose 1.42%, as against 0.75% in January, driven by industrial products, which jumped from 1.20% in January to 2.29%. Contributing to this were the mining sector, with went up 2.99%, as against a 0.31% decline in January, and manufacturing, which rose from 1.24% in January to 2.27% in the most recent calculation. (DAS)