The Extended National Consumer Price Index (IPCA) of March was 0.88%, and stood 0.18 percentage points (p.p.) above the rate of February (0.70%).

Over the year, the IPCA has reached a cumulative increase of 1.92% and, in the last twelve months, of 4.14%, above the 3.81% observed in the immediately previous 12 months. In March 2025, the change hit 0.56%.

In March, the groups that stood out were Transportation, with an increase of 1.64% and 0.34 p.p. of impact, and Food and beverages, which rose 1.56%, with an impact of 0.33 p.p. on the monthly index. Both groups together accounted for 76% of March's IPCA. Changes of the other groups ranged between 0.02% (Education) and 0.65% (Personal expenses).

The change of Transportation more than doubled, from February (0.74%) to March (1.64%), led by the rise of fuels (4.47%). Gasoline, which fell by 0.61%, in March rose 4.59%, acounting for the main individual impact (0.23 p.p.) on the monthly index. Diesel fuel also stood out, with a change from 0.23% in February to 13.90% in March an impact of 0.03 p.p. of impact in the month. Ethanol rose 0.93% and vehicle gas dropped 0.98%.

Airfares decelerated from 11.40% in February to 6.08% in March. The result of urban buses (1.17%) considers, besides the incorporation of fare adjustments, fare exemptions and reduced fares on Sundays and public holidays. The incorporated price adjustments were 6.00% in the fares of Porto Alegre (3.52%), since February 19; 4.46% in Recife (0.22%), starting in February. Due to the reduction of fares on Sundays, changes took place in urban buses in Belo Horizonte (1.13%), Belém (1.03%), São Paulo (0.,89%) and Salvador (0.55%). The areas with reductions on Sundays and public holidays were Brasília (12.95%) and Curitiba (2.20%).

The subitem taxi (0.26%) reflects the price adjustment of 4.26% in Porto Alegre (2.55%) in effect since February 19 and in subway (0.67%) the change was 12.95% in Brasília, due to free trips on Sundays and public holidays. As for intermunicipal bus (0.22%) the adjustment from 11.69% to 12.61% is observed in Rio de Janeiro (5.16%), in effect since February 15, and of 7,27% in Curitiba (5.01%), in effect since February 16.

The group Food and beverages increased from 0.26% in February to 1.56% in March. Food at home rose 1.94%, more than in the previous month (0.23%), under the influence of tomato (20.31%),  onion (17.25%), potato (12.17%),  long life milk (11.74%) and meat (1.73%). With drops, apple (-5.79%) and ground coffee (-1.28%) stood out.

Food away from home rose 0.61% with snacks changing from 0.15% in February to 0.89% in March and meal recording 0.49%, same change as in February.

The group with the biggest change in the month, Personal expenses (0.65%), was influenced by the subitem cinema, theater and concerts (3.95%), with the cinema event in a weekend of February. The group Health and personal care (0.42%) was inluenced by the rise of health insurance (0.49%).

As for Housing, the change of 0.22% in March encompasses the rise of residential electicity (0.13%) which includes the medical adjustments of 6.92% and 14.66% in concessionnaires of Rio de Janeiro (3.09%), both in effect from March 15. In the month, the green tariff flag was maintained, without additional costs for consumers. 

Also in Housing, water and sewage (0.24%) reflects the price adjustment of 6.21% in one of the concessionnaires of Porto Alegre (2.18%), starting on February 23. In the subitem piped gas (-0.10%), in Curitiba (-0.25%), there was a drop of 4.01% in fares, starting on February 1st and, in Rio de Janeiro, the change of -0.24% resulted from a decreas of 4.44% in fares, since February 1st. 

Among the regional indexes, the biggest change occurred in Salvador (1.47%), influenced by the rise of gasoline (17.37%) and of meat (3.56%). The biggest change took place in Rio Branco (0,37%), due to the drops in residential electricity (-3.28%) and fruits (-3.72%).

The IPCAhas been calculated by the IBGE since 1980. It refers to families with monetary income of 1 to 40 minimum wages, regardless of the source, and covers ten Metropolitan Areas of the country, in addition to the municipalities of Goiânia, Campo Grande, Rio Branco, São Luís, Aracaju, and Brasília.

For the calculation of the index for the month, prices collected between March 04, 2026 and March 31, 2026 (reference period) were compared with prices in effect between January 30, 2025 and March 03, 2026 (base period).

INPC was 0.91% in March

The National Consumer Price Index - INPC rose 0.91% in March, 0.35 p.p. above the result of February (0.56%). In the year, the INPC had a cumulative increase of 1.87% and, in the last 12 months, the index stood at 3.77%, above the 3.36% of the immediately previous 12 months. in March 2025, the rate was 0.51%.

Food products accelerated from February (0.26%) to March (1.65%). The change of non-food products changed from 0.66% in February to 0.67% in March.

As for the regional index, the biggest change was that of Salvador (1.52%), influenced by the rise of gasoline (17.37%) and tomato (49.25%). The smallest change was found in Rio Branco (0.33%), with the drop of residential electricity (-3.28%) and soybean (-6.46%).

For the calculation of the monthly index, prices collected between March 04, 2026 and March 31, 2026 (reference period) were compared with prices in effect between January 30, 2025 and March 03, 2026 (base period).

The INPC has been calculated by the IBGE since 1979. It refers to families with a monetary income of 1 to 5 minimum wages, where the head of the household is a salaried worker, and covers ten Metropolitan Areas of the country, in addition to the municipalities of Goiânia, Campo Grande, Rio Branco, São Luís, Aracaju, and Brasília.

What is IPCA?
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What is INPC?
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