Inflation in Oman rises 1.42% in July

Muscat: The rate of inflation in the Sultanate increased by 1.42 per cent in July 2018 compared to the same month in 2017, according to the latest data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) on consumer prices’ index (CPI). It also stated that the inflation rate increased by 0.14 per cent compared to June 2018.
The rise in the price index in July 2018 compared to the same period in 2017 is attributed to the rise in prices in major groups, such as housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels by 0.6 per cent; transport by 7.07 per cent; restaurants and hotels by 0.35 per cent; miscellaneous goods and services by 0.91 per cent; and education by 4.9 per cent.
The prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages dropped by 0.7 per cent; clothing and footwear by 0.43 per cent; communications by 0.22 per cent; household furniture, equipment’s, and household maintenance by 0.75 per cent; health by 3.06 per cent; recreation and culture by 0.27 per cent; and tobacco by 0.14 per cent in July 2018 compared to the same month of the previous year.
At the governorates level, North Al Batinah had the highest increase in inflation by 2.36 per cent, followed by Dhofar by 2.12 per cent, and A'Dakhiliyah by 1.24 per cent. The inflation in the Governorate of Muscat increased by 1.1 per cent, A'Dhahirah by 0.97 per cent, North and South A'Sharqiyah by 0.9 per cent, and Al Buraimi by 0.4 per cent.
In comparison to the previous month, the general consumer price index in the Sultanate went up by 0.14 per cent. The prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 0.89 per cent, clothing and footwear by 0.07 per cent, restaurants and hotels by 0.39 per cent, miscellaneous goods and services by 0.15 per cent.
The prices of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels fell by 0.01 per cent; transportation by 0.36 per cent; household furniture and equipment’s, as well as household maintenance by 0.42 per cent; and communications by 0.02 per cent and health by 0.01 per cent. Prices of education, culture, recreation, and tobacco groups remained stable.