Rio, March 18, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Weekly Consumer Price Index (IPC-S), compiled by the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV), registered a 1.13% increase during the period between February 13 and March 12. This result was 0.13% less than the IPC-S for the period ending March 6 and confirms the index's declining trend.

The IPC-S's growth rate was influenced by the Food group (1.91%, as against 2.06% in the previous period), due in large part to increases in the prices of vegetables and legumes (10.22%).

Since the prices of the Food group have decisive importance over the short-term directions of inflation, the sooner they drop, they greater will be the declines in future IPC-S index rates, according to the FGV report. Inflation decelerated in 10 of the 12 capitals covered by the index. (DAS)