Qatar's cost of living, based on CPI (consumer price index), declined 0.75% month-on-month in September despite seven of the 12 sectors treading a flat path, according to the official statistics.
The country, however, witnessed a marginal 0.06% jump in inflation on yearly basis, according to figures released by the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA).
The International Monetary Fund, in its latest Article IV consultation with Qatar, said inflation is projected to peak at 3.7% in 2020 with the introduction of a value added tax, but converge to 2% in the medium term.
The transport sector, which has a 14.59% weight, saw its group index plummet 4.46% on a monthly basis and 0.19% yearly this September. The sector has the direct linkage to the dismantling of administered prices of petrol and diesel.
The index of housing, water, electricity and other fuels – with a weight of 21.89% in the CPI basket – saw 0.2% and 2.07% declines month-on-month and year-on-year respectively.
The CPI of September 2019, excluding “housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, showed an increase of 0.66% on yearly basis even as it fell 0.9% month-on-month.
Food and beverages, which has a weight of 12.58% in the CPI basket, witnessed a marginal 0.07% dip year-on-year in September 2019 but registered 0.99% increase year-on-year.
However, the index of clothing and footwear, which has a 5.11% bearing on the CPI basket, expanded 1.56% on a monthly basis but saw a 3.07% plunge year-on-year.
Miscellaneous goods and services, which has a 5.69% weight, saw its index gain 0.16% and 4.38% on monthly and yearly basis respectively in September.
The index of recreation and culture, which has a 12.68% weight in the CPI basket, saw a flat path month-on-month this September but witnessed a 1.83% decline on a yearly basis.
Education, with a 5.75% weight, also saw its index tread a flat course on a monthly basis but registered a 0.93% growth on yearly basis.
In the case of furniture and household equipment segment, which has a 7.7% weight in the CPI basket, the index remained unchanged month-on-month but there was a marginal 0.04% dip on a yearly basis.
The index of restaurants and hotels, which has a 6.08% weight, treaded a flat course month-on-month but witnessed 1.43% rise year-on-year in September 2019.
Communication, which carries a 5.87% weight, saw its group index remain unchanged month-on-month; whereas it witnessed a 1.26% increase year-on-year this September.
The index of health, which carries a 1.79% weight, was also flat on a monthly basis whereas it was down 0.08% on yearly basis in September 2019.
The index of tobacco, which has 0.27% weight, was flat on a monthly basis, but more than doubled year-on-year with the government substantially hiking excise tax on cigarettes from January this year.
The International Monetary Fund, in its latest Article IV consultation with Qatar, said inflation is projected to peak at 3.7% in 2020 with the introduction of a value added tax, but converge to 2% in the medium term.
The transport sector, which has a 14.59% weight, saw its group index plummet 4.46% on a monthly basis and 0.19% yearly this September. The sector has the direct linkage to the dismantling of administered prices of petrol and diesel.
The index of housing, water, electricity and other fuels – with a weight of 21.89% in the CPI basket – saw 0.2% and 2.07% declines month-on-month and year-on-year respectively.
The CPI of September 2019, excluding “housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, showed an increase of 0.66% on yearly basis even as it fell 0.9% month-on-month.
Food and beverages, which has a weight of 12.58% in the CPI basket, witnessed a marginal 0.07% dip year-on-year in September 2019 but registered 0.99% increase year-on-year.
However, the index of clothing and footwear, which has a 5.11% bearing on the CPI basket, expanded 1.56% on a monthly basis but saw a 3.07% plunge year-on-year.
Miscellaneous goods and services, which has a 5.69% weight, saw its index gain 0.16% and 4.38% on monthly and yearly basis respectively in September.
The index of recreation and culture, which has a 12.68% weight in the CPI basket, saw a flat path month-on-month this September but witnessed a 1.83% decline on a yearly basis.
Education, with a 5.75% weight, also saw its index tread a flat course on a monthly basis but registered a 0.93% growth on yearly basis.
In the case of furniture and household equipment segment, which has a 7.7% weight in the CPI basket, the index remained unchanged month-on-month but there was a marginal 0.04% dip on a yearly basis.
The index of restaurants and hotels, which has a 6.08% weight, treaded a flat course month-on-month but witnessed 1.43% rise year-on-year in September 2019.
Communication, which carries a 5.87% weight, saw its group index remain unchanged month-on-month; whereas it witnessed a 1.26% increase year-on-year this September.
The index of health, which carries a 1.79% weight, was also flat on a monthly basis whereas it was down 0.08% on yearly basis in September 2019.
The index of tobacco, which has 0.27% weight, was flat on a monthly basis, but more than doubled year-on-year with the government substantially hiking excise tax on cigarettes from January this year.