Market outlook for 2015 inflation at 8.31%
Central Bank headquaters in Brasilia 
Analysts and investors in the financial market have again raised the forecast for this year's inflation measured by the Broad Consumer Price Index (IPCA). The latest inflation outlook was 8.31% compared to a previous 8.29%.
The IPCA is calculated by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) based on a survey of price fluctuations for a set of products and services in the retail market as reflected in the personal expenditures of households with incomes ranging between 1 to 40 times the minimum wage (regardless of their income source). Since June 1999, the IPCA has been used by the Central Bank to track performance against the inflation target, and is regarded as Brazil's official inflation gauge.
The market has also raised its forecast for regulated prices including energy and gasoline, from 13.2% to 13.5%.
The information was released Monday (May 18) in the Focus report, a weekly survey of financial institutions conducted by the Central Bank. The expectation of the financial analysts heard in the survey that the Gross Domestic Product would shrink -1.2% remained unchanged. The downward outlook for industrial production worsened going from -2.5% to -2.8%.
The forecast for the dollar rate by the end of 2015 stood at R$3.20. The outlook for the benchmark interest rate (SELIC) has also remained stable at 13.5% per annum (compared to a current 13.25% p.a.).
The estimate for the net public sector debt stood at 37.95% of GDP. The deficit outlook for the current account, which measures the health of the country's balance of payments, increased from $80 billion to $82.4 billion. The outlook for the balance of trade remained positive at $3 billion. The forecast for foreign investment rose from $59 billion to $61 billion.
The Focus report is published weekly by the Central Bank.
Translated by Mayra Borges
Fonte: Market outlook for 2015 inflation at 8.31%
