Daisy Nascimento
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Rio - This year's inflation, gauged by the Getúlio Vargas Foundation's General Market Price Index (IGP-M), came to 12.41%. In December, the IGP-M rose 0.74%, 0.08% less than in November (0.82%).

The Wholesale Price Index (IPA) was down 0.18%, from 0.99% in November to 0.81% in December. The National Construction Price Index (INCS) also declined, by 0.33% compared to November, from 0.94% to 0.61%. On the other hand, the Consumer Price Index (IPC) nearly doubled in comparison with November, from 0.30% to 0.58%.

According to the Foundation, six of the seven product categories that compose the index experienced price increases. The groups with the biggest influence on the rise in prices were Food and Transportation. In the food sector, there was a 0.24% increase in December, as against a 0.64% decline in November. The biggest culprits in this sector were vegetables and legumes, fruit, and beef. In the transportation sector, the acceleration of the inflation rate, from 1.51% to 2.14%, was mainly due to the most recent readjustment in fuel prices, which took place over 30 days ago, and the increase in taxi fares.

Translation: David Silberstein