​The inflation rate in the Sultanate during October 2017 increased by 1.22% compared to the same month of 2016, according to the latest data issued by the Centre on consumer price indices, as well as the rate increased by 0.1% compared to September 2017.

The increase in the price index during October 2017 compared to the same month of 2016 is attributed to the rise in prices of major groups such as housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels by 1.5%, food and non-alcoholic beverages by 0.74% and transport by 1.78%. The prices of education group increased by 4.90%, restaurants and hotels by 0.24%, miscellaneous goods and services by 1.63%, culture and entertainment by 0.37%, health group by 0.41% and tobacco by 1.83%.On the other hand, prices of clothing and footwear group decreased by 0.10% and communications group by 0.17% during October 2017 compared to the same month of the previous year. At the governorate level, Al Batina North experienced the highest rate of inflation by 2.27%, followed by the governorates of Sharqiah North and South by 1.06% and Dhofar governorate by 1.04%, Dakhlia by 0.99%, and the Adahirah by 0.89% and Muscat by 0.86%and Al Buraimi by 0.23%.

Compared with September, the consumer price index rose by 0.10%. Prices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels rose by 0.05%, transport by 1%, clothing and footwear by 0.04%, education by 4.90%, restaurants and hotels by 0.32%, and miscellaneous goods and services by 0.08%. In contrast, the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages decreased by 0.87%, furnishings household equipment and routine household maintenance by 0.04% while prices of the group of recreation and culture stabilised, according to the NCSI data.

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