Consumer Price Index climbs 2.4pc

Inflationary pressures lifted the Consumer Price Index in the Sultanate of Oman 2.4 per cent in August 2022, according to the latest data issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information.

The data indicated an increase in the prices of major groups in August 2022 compared to August 2021, such as education by 5.1 per cent,

food and non-alcoholic beverages by 4.9 per cent, health by 3.5 per cent, and transportation by 3.1 per cent, restaurants and hotels by 2.1 per cent, miscellaneous goods and services by 1.5 per cent, entertainment and culture by 1.4 per cent,

furniture, household equipment and routine home maintenance by 1.2 per cent, clothing and footwear by 0.9 per cent, housing and water, electricity, gas and other fuels by 0.6 per cent.

Meanwhile, the prices of some major groups, such as tobacco and communications, remained unchanged.

Prices of oils and fats also increased by 19.2 per cent, meat by 8.8 per cent, fruits by 7.5 per cent, non-alcoholic beverages by 4.4 per cent, bread and cereals by 4.1 per cent, and milk, cheese and eggs by 3.2 per cent, sugar, jam, honey and sweets by 2.3 per cent, other food by 1.9 per cent and fish and seafood by 1.7 per cent. Vegetable prices fell by 2.9 per cent. In the governorates, Al Buraimi recorded the highest inflation rate of 4.3 per cent, followed by Al Dakhiliyah with 2.9 per cent, followed by Dhofar with 2.7 per cent, Al Dhahirah with 2.6 per cent, North Al Batinah with 2.4 per cent, then North and South Sharqiyah by 2.3 per cent, while Muscat Governorate recorded the lowest inflation rate of 2.1 per cent.