Planning and Statistics Authority Issues Its CPI Report

Doha, February 27 (QNA) - The Planning and Statistics Authority released today its report on its consumer price index during the fourth quarter of 2018, compared to the same period of 2017. The overall CPI amounted to 108.5 points in Q4-2018, a decrease of 0.4 percent compared to Q3 of 2018 (previous quarter). By comparing the Q4 2018 overall CPI with its corresponding quarter of 2017, the annual decrease reached 0.3 percent. The index for food and beverages reached 101.4 points, an increase of 0.6 percent compared to the previous quarter, and a decrease of 2.8 percent (y-o-y) the corresponding quarter of 2017. The "Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels" group reached 106.4 points, a decrease of 0.8 percent compared to the previous quarter, and a 2.7 percent when compared to its corresponding quarter of 2017. A rise in prices observed in Seven groups that are "Food & Beverages", "Furnishing of Household equipment", "Health", "Communication", "Restaurants and Hotels", "Miscellaneous Goods and Services", "Education" when compared to its previous quarter of 2018. A decrease has been recorded in three groups, there are "Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuel", "Transport", "Recreation and Culture" compared to the previous quarter. "Tobacco", and "Clothing and Footwear", were holding stable between the Q3, 2018 and Q4, 2018. (QNA)