Qatar : Consumer price index up 0.4% in September

Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA) said that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for September 2012 was 111.8, showing an increase of 0.4% when compared to the CPI of August 2012 and, a 2.0% increase when compared to the CPI of September, 2011. A QSA statement said that a comparison of CPI, September, 2012 with the previous month index (CPI of August, 2012) by major groups, displays increases ranging between 0.2% and 1.8% in most of the major groups with the exception of "Transport & Communications", where prices declined, by 1.2% due to the drop in the air-ticket fares, by 13.8%, followed by "Entertainment, recreation and culture" which declined by 0.4%. The highest increases have been noticed in the group "Food, Beverages & Tobacco", 1.8% and "Miscellaneous goods and services", 1.7%. "Rent, fuel and energy", increased by 1.0% and "Garments & Footwear", 0.3%. A year-on-year comparison, comparing the CPI of September 2012 with that of September 2011, showed increases of 2.0% at the overall level. Increases were recorded in all the major groups, with the exception of "Rent, Fuel and Energy", which registered a drop of 0.1%. The highest increases were recorded in the groups: "Miscellaneous goods and services", 4.1%; "Food, Beverages & Tobacco", 3.6%; "Furniture, Textiles and Home Appliances", 3.3% , "Transport & Communications", 3.1%, "Garments & Footwear" ,1.6% , "Entertainment, recreation and culture",1.5% , "Medical care and Medical services", 0.3% A CPI exclusive of the "Rent, Fuel and Energy" group has also been calculated. After eliminating the effect of rent, the overall index reached 124.6, showing an increase of 0.2% compared to the CPI of August 2012, and an increase of 2.9 % when compared to the month of September 2011.