The Ministry of Development Planning & Statistics (MDPS) has released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of February 2016. The CPI of February, 2016 is estimated at 107.6, showing an increase [M-o-M basis] by 0.6% when compared to CPI of January 2016. Compared to CPI of February 2015, an increase [Y-o-Y basis] of 3.3% has been registered in the general index (CPI) of this month.
An analysis [on M-o-M basis] of CPI for February, 2016 compared with January, 2016 CPI, shows that there are four main groups, where respective indices in this month have risen, namely: “Recreation and Culture” by 3.0%, “Miscellaneous Goods and Services” by 1.7%, Housing, Water, Electricity and Gas” by 0.4%, “Food and Beverages” by 0.3%. A decline in prices is also noticed in “Clothing and Footwear” by 1.1%, “Transport” by 0.4%, and “Restaurants and Hotels” by 1.3% each. The other two groups: “Tobacco”, “Furniture and Household Equipment”, “Health”, “Communication”, and “Education” have remained flat at the last month’s price level. Graph (4) and (5) show the movement of monthly CPIs of “Food and Beverages” and “Housing, Water, Electricity and Gas”.
A comparison of the CPI, February, 2016 with the CPI, February, 2015, points a rise in the general index (CPI), by 3.3%. This [Y-o-Y] price surge is primarily due to the increasing prices seen in the eight groups, namely: “Recreation and Culture” by 9.4%, “Education” by 7.1%, “Housing, Water, Electricity and Gas” by 5.7%, “Transport“ by 2.1%, “Furniture and Household Equipment” by 1.7%, “Restaurants and Hotels” by 0.9%, “Miscellaneous Goods and Services” by 0.4%, and “Communication” by 0.2%. Also, there has been a decrease in price levels in other groups, namely:, “Food and Beverages” by 1.3%, “Health” by 0.3%, and “Clothing and Footwear” by 0.1%. No change has been recorded in “Tobacco” group. Graph (1) shows the monthly and annual comparison for CPI of February 2016.
The CPI of February, 2016 excluding “Housing, Water, Electricity and Gas” group stands at 105.4, an increase by 0.5%, when compared to the index of January 2016, and an increase of 2.5% in comparison to the CPI of January, 2015. Table (2) presents CPI excluding “Housing, Water, Electricity and Gas” and Graph (3) shows the monthly percentage change of CPI with and without Housing component.
More detailed data on CPI is available on the Ministry’s website:
www.mdps.gov.qa, and in Qatar information exchange portal, QALM:
www.qalm.gov.qa.
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