Transport, food and beverages push CPI up: Dubai Statistics

16/10/2011 00:00 AST

Dubai's annual inflation rate rose to 0.62 per cent in the third quarter, mainly because of the rise in the transport, food and beverages groups, Dubai Statistics Centre said on Saturday.

The inflation rate reached a record 0.6 per cent up to the third quarter of 2011, compared to the same period of 2010, it said in a statement.

The transport group, followed by food and beverages, pushed the consumer price index, or CPI, up in the first three quarters of the year. While the heavyweights of the index - housing, water, electricity and gas - witnessed a major fall in the first nine months.

Transport was up 6.55 per cent, with the highest increase in the prices of fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment by 12.33 per cent. In addition to that, prices of passenger transport by air increased by 8.50 per cent and passenger transport by road by 5.28 per cent.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages witnessed a 5.27 per cent rise as a result of an increase in the prices of fish and seafood by 12.36 per cent. The prices of fruits (up 10.41 per cent) and food products (up 8.01 per cent) followed. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuel groups declined 3.30 per cent as a result of the decrease in rents by 5.08 per cent, and the prices of materials and services for the maintenance and repair of the dwelling by 2.65 per cent, while the prices of gas increased by 23.02 per cent.

Education increased by 3.32 per cent, due to an increase in tuition fees in education not definable by level by 44.74 per cent, followed by an increase in tuition fees in post-secondary non-tertiary education by 4.40 per cent, and prices of secondary education increase by 2.46 per cent.

The health group jumped by 3.36 per cent due to the high raise in medical services prices with 55.36 per cent. Furthermore, prices of hospital services increased by 19.28 per cent and other medical products by 0.92 per cent.

Up to the third quarter, the restaurants and hotels group jumped by 4.14 per cent, furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance group by 3.31 per cent, miscellaneous goods and services group by 2.29 per cent, alcoholic beverages and tobacco group by 1.84 per cent, communication group by 0.70 per cent, and recreation and culture group by 0.14 per cent.

Khaleej Times