Oman's inflation rises 0.49% in February

Muscat: The annual inflation rate in Oman for February 2018 increased to 0.49 per cent compared to the same month of the previous year according to the consumer price index (CPI) data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). The rate declined by 0.05 per cent compared to January 2018.
The rise in February price index was due to increases in prices of major categories, such as housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels by 0.09 per cent, transport by 2.23 per cent, hotels and restaurants by 0.04 per cent, miscellaneous commodities and services by 0.76 per cent, furniture, domestic equipment, regular house maintenance by 1.87 per cent, education group by 4.9 per cent and tobacco by 0.63 per cent per cent.
On the other hand, during the month of February 2018, the prices of food stuffs and non-alcoholic drinks declined by 0.34 per cent, shoes and garments by 1.04 per cent, communication group by 0.15 per cent, health by 2.45 per cent, culture and entertainment by 0.66 per cent compared to February 2017.
Governorate wise, the Governorate of North Al Batinah witnessed the highest increase in inflation at 1.02 per cent, followed by the Governorates of Dhofar with 0.62 per cent North and South A'Sharqiyah at 0.46 per cent, Muscat at 0.34, A'Dakhiliyah at 0.25 per cent and Al Buraimi at 0.06 per cent.
Compared to the previous month, the consumer price index decreased by 0.05 per cent. The prices of the foodstuff and non-alcoholic drinks decreased by 1.02 per cent, the garments and shoes group declined by 0.69 per cent, the health group declined by 4.24 per cent.
On the contrary, the transport group increased by 1.32 per cent, the hotel and restaurants by 0.04 per cent, the miscellaneous commodities and services by 0.09 per cent and culture and entertainment by 0.01 per cent.
The prices of housing, water, electricity, gas, other fuels, communications, education and tobacco group remained stable.