Inflation rate in the Sultanate increased by 0.11% during March 2016 compared to the rate recorded in March 2015, according to the statistics released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). The inflation rate also dropped by 0.31% compared to February 2016.
The increasing price index during last March compared to the index recorded during the same month in 2015 is attributed to the increasing prices of all main sets constituting the consumer basket.
The housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels group grew by 0.44% and the transport group increased by 1.31%. The furniture, home appliances and maintenance group grew by 0.8%. The education group, health group, restaurants and hotels group, and goods and miscellaneous services group grew by 3.03%, 1.46%, 0.18% and 0.6% respectively.
Prices of foodstuff and non-alcoholic beverages group fell by 1.38%. Clothes and shoes group declined by 0.34%. Goods and miscellaneous services group dropped by 0.06%, communications group declined by 0.12% and culture and entertainment group fell by 0.24%.
At the governorates’ level, the inflation rate during last March 2016 recorded a decline in the governorates of the Sultanate. The Governorate of A’Dakhiliyah witnessed a decline by 0.33% in the inflation rate, followed by the Governorate of Al Buraimi with 0.23%, the Governorate of A’Dhahirah with 0.11%, the Governorates of North and South A’Sharqiyah by 0.08%.
The Governorates of North and South Al Batinah price index remained stable. The Governorates of Muscat and Dhofar witnessed an increase by 0.29% and 0.77% respectively.
The general consumer price index declined by 0.31% in March 2016 compared to February 2016. The foodstuffs, non-alcoholic beverages, transport and shoes & clothes groups declined by 0.46%, 1.02% and 0.38% respectively.
The restaurants and hotels, health, communication and education groups remained stable.
On the other hand, the housing, electricity, water, gas and other fuels groups increased by 0.01% compared to 0.33% for the furniture, home appliances and maintenance and 0.04% for the goods and miscellaneous services group.