Consumer price index down in February

The overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) dropped 0.15% to 117.24 in February from 117.41 in January 2013, and with comparison with the base year (2007 =100); it went up by 0.73% compared to the same month last year. A report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) noted a decrease last month in the groups of Food and Soft Drinks at 0.78% , Textiles, clothing and footwear 0.17%, Transportation 0.05%, and Miscellaneous goods and services 0.29%. The report added that groups that witnessed uptrend were Beverages and tobacco (0.25%), Housing (0.01%), Furniture and household goods (0.18%), Medical Care (0.15%), and Restaurants and hotels (0.02%). Prices of Education, Communications and Recreation and culture remained stable. At the Emirate level, the CPI dipped 0.05% in Ajman, 0.16% in Fujairah, 0.30% in Ras Al Khaimah, 0.11% in Sharjah, 0.20% in Umm Al Qaiwain, 0.24% in Abu Dhabi and 0.03% in Dubai.