Higher clothing, recreational costs edge up inflation

Consumer Price Index for September rises 0.27 percent M-o-M

RISING prices in recreation and culture, and clothing and footwear, exerted an upward in uence on the cost of living based on the consumer price index (CPI) in Qatar last month.

According to the Planning and Statistics Authority (PSA), Qatar’s CPI a key in ation indicator rose 0.27 percent to 96. points in September when compared with that of August. Still, this is lower than the index figure a year ago.

Compared with the CPI of September 2019, the latest figure shows a decline of 2.97 percent, the PSA report said.

The report attributed the month-on-month rise in CPI to increased prices in six in ation components recreation and culture by 2.23 percent, clothing and footwear by 1. percent, transportation by 1.39 percent, restaurants and hotels by 0.13 percent and furniture and household equipment, and education by 0.01 percent each.

In the meantime, two main components showed decrease in September, miscellaneous goods and services by 1.17 percent and food and beverages by 0.97 percent.

Four other groups tobacco housing, water, electricity and other fuel health, and communication remained at.

On an year-on-year analysis, the index’s decline was mostly driven by price falls in six components recreation and culture by 20.98 percent housing, water, electricity and other fuel by .7 percent clothing and footwear by .2 percent communication by 0.81 percent food and beverages by 0.27 percent, and transportation by 0.13 percent.

At the same time, this comparison also reveals price rises in six other groups tobacco by 8.37 percent restaurants and hotels by . 3 percent education by 1.78 percent furniture and household equipment by 1. 8 percent health by 0.9 percent, and miscellaneous goods and services by 0.60 percent.

The CPI of August, 2019 excluding housing, water, electricity and other fuel group stands at 97.73 points, showing an increase of 0.3 percent when compared with that of August 2020, and a decline of 2. 1 percent when compared with that of September, 2019.