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| Author(s): |
Andres Francisco Medeyros Rojas
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Master's Dissertation |
| Press: | São Paulo. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade (FEA/SBD) |
| Defense date: | 2008-04-23 |
| Examining board members: |
Vera Lucia Fava;
Heron Carlos Esvael do Carmo;
Gustavo Jorge Laboissiere Loyola
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| Advisor: | Vera Lucia Fava |
| Abstract | |
The objective of this study is to estimate the substitution of products bias in the calculation of consumer inflation, therefore, estimate the inflation taking into account the possibility of switching goods in a basket of products, in response to a change in relative prices. This happens because the estimation formula used by IBGE, both with INPC an IPCA, to measure consumer inflation is Laspeyres (Bureau\'s index), witch considers the same basket of goods over time. This index tends to overestimate the increase in the living cost, by not taking into account the substitution of products. Following previous works, the estimation of the bias was made comparing a Lapeyres index for a subgroups of IPCA with the inflation measure by the Theil-Tornqvist index for the same subgroups. This gets closer to an index of cost of living, which considers the substitution of goods. However, it needs frequent updates of the baskets of goods and services or of the weighted structures. As there are no surveys of family consumption in Brazil that provide periodic weighted structures, these had to be estimated. To do it, were used micro data of POF 95-96. The substitution bias estimated was 3,33 p.p of August 1999 to June 2006, which is equivalent of saying that the consumer inflation was overestimated in 0,31 p.p per year. With the impossibility of working with a more highly disaggregated level of IPCA (the sub items), certainly the calculated bias was underestimated. If the bias estimated was discounted from adjustment given to retirement, pensions and other benefits granted by the Ministry of Welfare and Social Assistance, the government could have saved, from 2000 to June 2006, approximately R$ 8 billions. (AU) | |