Qatar’s inflation, based on consumer price index (CPI), increased 1.2 percent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) in January 2017, while the index, which was estimated at 108.3, remained unchanged when compared on month-on-month (M-o-M) basis to the CPI of December 2016, figures released by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS) show.
The M-o-M basis analysis of CPI for January, 2017 compared to previous month CPI (December, 2016) , showed that there were four main groups, where respective indices in the month have increased. The transport sector prices increased by 1.6 percent, recreation and culture by 0.7 percent, health by 0.5 percent, and restaurants and hotels by 0.3 percent.
A decrease in prices was also noticed in clothing and footwear by 1.7 percent, followed by food and beverages by 1.2 percent, miscellaneous goods and services by 1.3 percent, housing, water, electricity and other fuel by 0.4 percent, furniture and household equipment by 0.2 percent. The other groups, such as tobacco, communication, and education have remained flat at the last month’s price level.
An Y-on-Y comparison of the CPI, January, 2017 with the CPI, January, 2016, showed a rise in the general index (CPI), by 1.2 percent. This annual surge in the index was primarily due to the increasing prices seen in the six groups: transport by 4.7 percent, education by 3.0 percent, recreation and culture by 2.8 percent, miscellaneous goods and services by 1.7 percent, furniture and household equipment by 1.3 percent, and housing, water, electricity and other fuel by 0.6 percent.
There was a fall in price levels in five groups, which included restaurants and hotels by 2.7 percent, food and beverages by 1.9 percent, clothing and footwear by 1.3 percent, health by 0.2 percent, and communication by 0.1 percent. For tobacco group, there is no changes recorded. The CPI of January, 2017 excluding housing, water, electricity and other fuel group stands at 106.3, showing an increase by 0.1 percent.
