INDICATORS: official inflation is 0.23% in May

The Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) for May was 0.23%, 0.38 percentage points (pp) below the April rate (0.61%). In the year, the IPCA accumulates an increase of 2.95% and, in the last 12 months, of 3.94%, below the 4.18% observed in the previous 12 months. In May 2022, the variation had been 0.47%.

Of the nine groups of products and services surveyed, seven were discharged in May, with the biggest impact (0.12 pp) and the biggest change (0.93%) being Health and personal care. In sequence, came Housing (0.67%) and Personal expenses (0.64%), contributing with 0.10 pp and 0.07 pp, respectively. The prices of Transport (-0.57%) and Household items (-0.23%) retreated in May. The other groups were between 0.05% for Education and 0.47% for Clothing.

In Health and personal care, the rise is driven by health plans, followed by personal hygiene items. In Housing, the biggest contribution comes from the water and sewage rate. Electricity also rose. In Personal expenses, gambling stands out.

The decline in housing prices is due to the lower price of piped gas. The deceleration in the Food and drink group was influenced by the drop in food at home. The increases in this group were due to the price of tomatoes (6.65%) and long-life milk (2.37%).

The drop in the Transport group was influenced by the decline in airline ticket prices (-17.73%).

In the analysis of regional indices, the highest inflation was in Fortaleza (0.56%), due to gambling and residential electricity. The smallest variation is in São Luís, at -0.38%, influenced by the drop in chicken and gasoline.