A precipitous decline in the prices of especially crude and natural gas, refined petroleum products, basic metals and basic chemicals led Qatar to register 37.5% plunge year-on-year (y-o-y) in the producer price index (PPI) in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2015, according to official figures.
The PPI for the industrial sector - a measure of the average selling prices received by the domestic producers for their output - fell 10% compared to that in the third quarter of 2015 on lower prices of crude and natural gas, basic metals, basic chemicals, refined petroleum products and dairy and poultry products, said the latest figures released by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS).
The PPI for mining, which carries the maximum weight of 72.7%, saw the maximum plunge of 41.7% y-o-y in Q4, 2015 due to 41.8% decline in the prices of crude petroleum and natural gas; even as stone, sand and clay prices firmed up 2.8% (notably lime stone by 7.1% and stone, gravel and asphalt 2.4%).
The mining sector PPI saw 11.6% decline quarter-on-quarter in Q4, 2015 with crude and natural gas price falling 11.7%, but prices of stone, sand and clay rose 0.8% (lime stone by 6.7% and stone, gravel and asphalt 0.2%).
The manufacturing sector, which has a weight of 26.8% in the PPI basket, tanked 27.8% y-o-y in Q4, 2015, influenced by a 31.8% plunge in the price of refined petroleum and gas products, 29.2% in basic metals, 24.2% in basic chemicals, 5.6% in other chemicals, 1.4% in dairy products, 0.9% in plastic products and 0.5% in paper products.
However, there was a 11.3% gain in cement and non-metallic products; 4.6% in meat, fish and fruits; and 3.7% in soft drinks and beverages (including mineral water).
The manufacturing sector PPI fell 6.7% compared with Q3, 2015 on account of a 10.3% fall in the price of basic metals, 9.1% in basic chemicals, 6.2% in refined petroleum products and 4% in man-made fibres; even as there was 3.3% increase in the price of cement and non-metallic products and 0.2% in soft drinks.
The electricity and water group, which has a mere 0.5% weightage in the PPI basket, saw its index fall 3% y-o-y in Q4, 2015 mainly on 5.7% fall in the production prices of water and 1.1% in electricity.
The index was however up 1.8% against the previous month on 4.3% in the production price of water and 0.1% in electricity.