The inflation rate in the Sultanate, calculated in terms of consumer price index (CPI), increased by 0.23% in January 2019 compared to the same month in 2018, according to the latest data released by the (NCSI) on consumer prices' index. It also stated that the inflation rate fell by 0.41% compared to December 2018.
The increase in inflation was driven by a rise in cost of major segments such as housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels by 0.52%; food and non-alcoholic beverages by 0.76%; restaurants and hotels by 0.27%; education by 2.02%; and furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance by 4.09%. However, the prices of health; clothing and footwear; transport; communication; and miscellaneous goods and services dropped by 4.71%; 0.45%; 0.46%; 0.35%; and 2.11%, respectively, in January 2019 compared to the same month of the previous year. Among foods and non-alcoholic beverages group, a marked fall of 5.17% was witnessed in fish and seafood products. The price of vegetables rose by 7.6% and those of fruit by 1.39%. Milk, cheese and eggs also witnessed a rise in price by 0.64%.
The prices of non-alcoholic beverages also rose by 0.29% in January 2019 against the same period of 2018.