The year-over-year variation of the consumer price index (CPI) fell for a third consecutive year to 8.4% in January, a rate that was 1.2 percentage points lower than in the previous month, the National Institute of Statistics reported Friday. (INE).
“Rounding to one decimal place, this percentage is 0.1 percentage point higher than the value of the January 31 quick estimate, although the difference was actually only 0.03 percentage point”says INE.
In January, the underlying inflation indicator (IPC excluding unprocessed food and energy) recorded a year-on-year change of 7.0%, a rate that was 0.3 percentage point lower than in December.
The change of the index related to energy products fell, also for the third time in a row, to 7.1% (20.8% in the previous month), with the emphasis on the fall in electricity prices.
On the contrary, the index referring to the unprocessed food products registered a variation of 18.5% (0.9 percentage points higher than the value recorded in the previous month).
Wage costs will increase by 3.2% in 2022 and by 1.4% in the 4th quarter
The labor cost index rose by 3.2% in 2022 and by 1.4% in the fourth quarter, year on year, a slowdown from the previous quarter, the National Institute of Statistics (INE) announced today.
“In 2022, ICT will come [índice do custo do trabalho] increased by 3.2%, which corresponds to an increase of 3.0% in wage costs and 4.0% in other costs,” the statistical authority said.
According to INE, “the increase in employer contributions contributed to the increase in non-wage costs due to the gradual decline of companies operating under the simplified ‘laid-off’ regime in the private sector of the economy”.
For example, the average costs per employee rose by 4.3% and the number of hours actually worked per employee by 1.3%.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, ICT registered a year-on-year increase of 1.4%, compared to an increase of 4.3% in the previous quarter.
In that period, wage costs (per hour actually worked) rose by 1.4% and other costs (also per hour actually worked) rose by 1.3% compared to the same period last year.
According to INE, the year-on-year evolution of the WAI was due to the 4.7% increase in the average cost per employee and the 3.4% increase in the number of hours actually worked per employee.
“The increase in the first component was transversal for all economic activities, with the largest variations recorded in those activities falling under headings B to N (5.0% in Industry, 4.7% in Construction and 5.9% in Services)”, while the Public Administration noted a smaller increase, of 3.3%, the entity stressed.
The number of hours actually worked per employee also increased across all economic activities, with the lowest increase in construction (1.9%) and the highest in public administration (5.6%).
The WAI increased in all economic activities, and decreased only in public administration (2.0%).
Source: DN
