The IPCA-15 (Extended National Consumer Price Index 15) serves as a reliable preview of Brazil's official monthly inflation data. It tracks price changes for a basket of goods and services consumed by households with incomes ranging from 1 to 40 minimum wages. This indicator is a critical tool for the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) in assessing whether inflation is trending toward its target, directly influencing Selic interest rate decisions.
Calculated by the IBGE using a survey of prices in several metropolitan areas, comparing the current mid-month period to the same period of the previous year. It uses the Laspeyres formula to weight different categories based on household expenditure surveys.