Qatar Statistics Authority Consumer Price Index, January 2012

Doha, February 13 (QNA) -Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA) has released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for January 2012. The CPI for the month of January, 2012 was 109.6, showing no change when compared to the CPI of December, 2011, but an increase of 1.2%, when compared to the CPI of January, 2011. A comparison of the CPI of January, 2012 with the CPI of December, 2011, shows that although at the overall level, the index remained stable, at the major group level, increases in some groups were offset by drops in others: The 2.3% increase in "Miscellaneous Goods and Services" due to the rises recorded in the acquisition of valuables, and the 1.6% rise in "Garments and Footwear", were offset by drops in all the other groups. The indices for Food, Rent, and Medical care, each, dropped by 0.5%, and that for Furniture, by 0.4%, whilst in the remaining groups, the drops ranged between 0.1% to 0.2% . A year-on-year analysis, comparing the CPI of January 2012 with that of January 2011, shows increases ranging between 2.3% and 6.8% in all the major groups, with the exception of "Rent, Fuel and Energy", which registered a drop of 5.9%. The highest increases were recorded in the group "Miscellaneous Goods and Services", 6.8%; followed by "Garments and Footwear", 5.4%; "Furniture, Textiles, & Home Appliance" and "Recreation and Culture", both by 5.0%. Increases in the remaining groups ranged between 2.3% to 3.1% A CPI exclusive of the Rent group has also been calculated. After eliminating the effect of rent, the overall index shows an increase of 0.2% compared to the CPI of December, 2011, and an increase of 4.0 % when compared to the month of January, 2011.(QNA)