Consumer Price Index Increases by 0.3% in February

Doha, March 14 (QNA) - Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA) has released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for February 2012. The CPI for the month of February, 2012 was 109.9, showing an increase of 0.3% when compared to the CPI of January 2012, but an increase of 1.2%, when compared to the CPI of February, 2011. A comparison of the CPI of February, 2012 with the CPI of January 2012, shows an increase by 0.3% at the overall level, but an analysis at the major group level, shows that increases in some groups were partly offset by drops in others: The 1.4% increase in "Miscellaneous Goods and Services" due to the rises recorded in the acquisition of valuables, the 1.1% rise in "Transport & communication" and, 0.7% in Food, beverages & tobacco were partly offset by drops in other groups. The index for Garments & Footwear and that of Rent, Fuel and Energy each dropped by 0.4%, and that for Furniture, Textiles and Home appliances, and Entertainment, Recreation and Culture, each dropped by 0.1%. There was no change in the level of prices in the group Medical care and Medical services A year-on-year comparison, shows an increase of 1.2% when comparing the CPI of February 2012 with that of February 2011, with increases ranging between 2.3% and 8.1% in all the major groups, with the exception of "Rent, Fuel and Energy", which registered a drop of 6.1%. The highest increases were recorded in the group "Miscellaneous Goods and Services", 8.1%; followed by "Entertainment, Recreation & Culture", 4.9%; "Furniture, Textiles, & Home Appliances" by 4.4%. Increases in the remaining groups were between 2.3% to 3.6% . It is worth mentioning that the increase in the index for Miscellaneous Goods and Services" is mainly attributable to higher prices of commodities in the sub-group Valuable acquisitions/jewelry, and that of the Food index, to higher prices of Meat, Fish and Sea food, Oils and fats, and Tobacco products. A CPI exclusive of the Rent, Fuel and Energy group has also been calculated. After eliminating the effect of rent, the overall index reached 122.0, showing an increase of 0.6% compared to the CPI of January 2011, and an increase of 4.0 % when compared to the month of February 2011. (QNA)