A faster growth in expenses towards education and recreation largely led Qatar’s cost of living, based on consumer price index (CPI), to rise 0.1% in September compared to the previous month, according to official estimates.
The country’s annual CPI inflation has risen 2.6% year-on-year, mainly due to costlier recreation, transport and housing and utilities, according to figures released by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics.
The education group, which carries 5.75% weight in the CPI basket, saw an increase of 1.6% in September 2016 month-on-month and year-on-year respectively.
Recreation and Culture, which has 12.68% weightage in the CPI basket, saw its index rise 0.7% in September this year against the previous month; while on a year-to-year basis, the index expanded 10.3%.
The restaurants and hotels segment, which has 6.08% weight in the CPI basket, witnessed a marginal 0.2% increase month-on-month in group index; whereas it reported a fall of 2.7% year-on-year.
The health sector, which carries 1.79% weight in the CPI basket, reported a wee 0.1% jump month-on-month in September 2016; while the index had fallen 0.9% year-on-year.
However, the clothing and footwear group, which carries 5.11% weight in the CPI basket, saw its group index decline 0.9% month-on-month in September this year and it was down 0.2% against September 2015 level.
The miscellaneous goods and services group, which has 5.69% weightage in the CPI basket, witnessed 0.3% fall month-on-month in its index in September 2016, but overall it shot up 4.3% year-on-year.
The transport sector, which has 14.59% weightage in the CPI basket, saw its group index fall 0.1% in September 2016 against the previous month’s level; while it showed a 5.1% increase y-o-y.
The furniture and household equipment group, which carries 7.7% weight in the CPI basket, witnessed a marginal 0.1% dip month-on-month in September; even as it gained 1.3% year-on-year.
Food and beverage, which has a weight of 12.58% in the CPI basket, saw its group index remain unchanged month-on-month in September 2016; even as it declined 2% year-on-year.
The housing, water, electricity and other fuel group – with a weight of 21.89% in the CPI basket – also saw its index tread a flat path in September this year against the previous month’s level; while it reported 2.9% rise year-on-year.
The CPI of September 2016, excluding “housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels” group showed an increase of 2.7% year-on-year and 0.2% month-on-month.
