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The Sultanate of Oman's consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.1% in September 2025 compared to the same month of 2024 (base year 2018), according to data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). The average inflation rate during the period from January to September 2025 increased by 0.8%, the data showed. The report indicated that the miscellaneous goods and services group recorded the highest price increase, with an average inflation rate of 6.4% during the first nine months of 2025 and a year-on-year rise of 7.6% in September. This was followed by the transport group, which rose 4.5%, and the restaurants and hotels group, which increased 2.6%. The health group recorded a rise of 0.8%, while prices in the clothing and footwear group went up 0.4%, and the education group edged slightly higher by 0.1%. Prices in the housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels group, along with the communications and tobacco groups, remained stable without any significant changes. At the governorate level, Al Dhahirah recorded the highest inflation rate at 1.9% by the end of September 2025 compared to the same period of 2024, while Al Wusta registered the lowest rate at 0.4%.

Australia's annual inflation rate rose to its highest level in 12 months in August, with headline inflation climbing to 3%, dashing expectations of an interest rate cut this month.Official data released Wednesday showed the monthly consumer price index (CPI) exceeded forecasts after headline inflation had reached 2.8% in the 12 months to July.However, trimmed mean annual inflation, the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) preferred gauge of core inflation, eased slightly to 2.6% in August from 2.7% the previous month.The RBA had anticipated a sharp pickup in inflation following the expiry of federal government electricity rebates, which left households paying the full cost of energy bills.Michelle Marquardt, head of prices statistics at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, said the annual increase in electricity costs was mainly driven by higher living expenses faced by households in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania in August 2025 compared with the same month in 2024.The inflation data, combined with last week's labor market report showing continued tightness in employment conditions, is expected to prompt the RBA's monetary policy board to keep its policy settings unchanged at its next meeting, maintaining a cautious stance on interest rates.