Qatar Consumer Price Index (CPI) March 2017
April 10, 2017
The Ministry of Development Planning & Statistics (MDPS) has
released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of March
2017. The report shows increased expenses towards transportation
and clothing pushed up Qatar’s cost of living, based on consumer
price index (CPI), month-on-month in March this year, according
to official estimates.
The CPI inflation rose 0.9% year-on-year, mainly on costlier
transport, education, furniture and miscellaneous goods and
services, said the figures released by the Ministry of
Development Planning and Statistics.
The International Monetary Fund recently said during 2017-18,
subsidy cuts, increase in public fees, a moderate recovery in
global commodity prices and the implementation of a value added
tax are expected to moderate Qatar’s inflation over the medium
term.
The transport sector, which has a 14.59% weight, saw its group index
expand 1.5% this March against February 2017 level, but a huge
8% surge on a yearly basis. The sector has the direct linkage to
the dismantling of the administered prices in petrol and diesel.
The recreation and culture group, which has a 12.68% weight in the
CPI basket, saw its index gain 0.7% month-on-month in March this
year, but reported a 1.6% rise on a yearly basis.
The clothing and footwear segment, which carries a 5.11% weight,
witnessed a 0.4% rise on a monthly basis and 0.2% year-on-year
in March.
The index of restaurants and hotels, which has a 6.08% weight, rose
0.1% month-on-month this March, while it fell 2.8% on a yearly
basis.
However, food and beverages, which has a weight of 12.58% in the CPI
basket, saw its group index decline 0.6% in March this year
against the previous month's level; it was down 0.4% on a yearly
basis.
The housing, water, electricity and other fuels group, with a weight
of 21.89% in the CPI basket, registered a 0.4% month-on-month
dip in its index in March this year, and 1% year-on-year.
The CPI of January 2017, excluding “housing, water, electricity, gas
and other fuels” showed an increase of 1.5% on a yearly basis
and 0.4% on a monthly basis.
The miscellaneous goods and services, which has a 5.69% weight,
witnessed its index unchanged month-on-month this March, but it
rose 1.4% year-on-year.
The furniture and household equipment sector, which has a 7.7%
weightage in the CPI basket, treaded a flat path in March
against the previous month's level, but had saw a 1.4% increase
year-on-year.
Although education, with a 5.75% weightage, saw its index unchanged
in March 2017 compared February, but overall its index reported
a 3% increase on a yearly basis.
The health group, which carries a 1.79% weightage, saw its index
tread a flat course month-month in March this year but it showed
a yearly 0.2% decline.
Communication, which carries a 5.87% weight, also saw its group
index stay unchanged in March 2017 on a monthly basis, while it
was down 0.1% year-on-year.
The tobacco group, which has a 0.27% weight, stood unchanged both
annually and monthly in March this year; even as there are
reports that Gulf countries, including Qatar, may impose heavy
taxes on tobacco and soft drinks.
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