Over the 12 months to September 2018, GCC consumer prices rose by 4.6%

Issue date: 26 November 2018 

Over the 12 months to September 2018, Price change for consumer goods and services (excluding housing)[1] in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries rose by 4.6%, according to figures released today by GCC-Stat, the Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council of the Arab Countries of the Gulf.

The biggest increases were for Tobacco 21.0%, Transport 10.4%, Restaurant & Hotels by 6.7%, Food 4.1%, Recreation 3.3%, Furnishings 3.2%, Health 2.7%, Education 2.4%, Communication 1.7%, Miscellaneous 1.0%, and Clothing and Footwear 0.6%.

In terms of contributions to the 4.6 percent annual increase, Transport contributed 1.7 percentage points, Food 1.1 percentage points, Restaurant & Hotels 0.5 percentage points, Furnishings 0.3 percentage points, “Tobacco” and “Education”, 0.2 percentage points each, “Health”, “Communication”, “Recreation” and “Miscellaneous” 0.1 percentage points each.

Over the 12 months to September 2018, the country contributions to overall GCC consumer price change were UAE 2.2 percentage points, Saudi Arabia 2.1 percentage points, Kuwait 0.1 percentage points, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar contributed 0.2 percentage points.

GCC overall consumer price have decreased in September 2018 compared with the previous month by -0.2%. The most significant price decrease during September 2018 were in Recreation -2.2%, Transport -1.1%, Miscellaneous -0.7%, “Communication” and “Restaurant & Hotels” by -0.1% each. In contrast, “Clothing” and “Education” increased by 0.6% each, “food” and “Furnishings” 0.3% each and Tobacco by 0.1%, while there is no change in prices of Health group compared with the previous month.

 GCC CONSUMER PRICE CHANGE, SEPTEMBER 2018

	Table 1. Aggregate GCC inflation
			Index points, 2007=100				Change, Percent
Main Groups		Weights Per cent	September 2017	August 2018	September 2018		September 2018 / August 2018	September 2018 /    September 2017
Food and beverage		24.0%	144.4	149.8	150.2		0.3	4.1
Tobacco		0.7%	231.2	279.6	279.8		0.1	21.0
Clothing and footwear		7.5%	109.9	109.9	110.5		0.6	0.6
Furnishings, household equipment		10.5%	131.3	135.0	135.4		0.3	3.2
Health		2.7%	117.2	120.4	120.4		0.0	2.7
Transport		16.8%	125.2	139.8	138.2		-1.1	10.4
Communication		9.5%	92.8	94.5	94.4		-0.1	1.7
Recreation and culture		5.2%	110.1	116.3	113.8		-2.2	3.3
Education		7.4%	153.6	156.5	157.4		0.6	2.4
Restaurants and hotels		7.5%	136.2	145.4	145.3		-0.1	6.7
Miscellaneous		8.3%	134.6	136.9	136.0		-0.7	1.0
All Groups Excluding Housing		100.0	129.6	135.8	135.6		-0.2	4.6

 

 

 

KEY POINTS: September 2017 TO September 2018

 THE GCC ALL GROUPS EXCLUDING HOUSING

• The GCC CPI rose 4.6% over the twelve months, compared with increase of 4.8% in August 2018/ August 2017.
• The most significant price rises over the twelve months were for Tobacco 21.0%, Transport 10.4%, Restaurant & Hotels by 6.7%, Food 4.1%, Recreation 3.3%, Furnishings 3.2%, Health 2.7%, Education 2.4%, Communication 1.7%, Miscellaneous 1.0%, and Clothing and Footwear 0.6%.

 

 CONTRIBUTIONS TO PRICE CHANGE OVER THE 12 MONTHS

• Of the 4.6 percent growth in GCC Consumer Prices over the 12 months to September 2018, the most significant contributors were:
  • Transport contributed 1.7 percentage points.
  • Food contributed 1.1 percentage points.
  • Restaurant & Hotels contributed 0.5 percentage points.
  • Furnishings contributed 0.3 percentage points.
  • Tobacco and Education contributed 0.2 percentage points each.
  • Health, Communication, Recreation and Miscellaneous contributed 0.1 percentage points each.

 

• At the country level:
  • UAE contributed 2.2 percentage points.
  • Saudi Arabia 2.1 percentage points.
  • Kuwait 0.1 percentage points.
  • Bahrain, Oman and Qatar contributed 0.2 percentage points.

 

KEY POINTS: September 2018

THE GCC ALL GROUPS EXCLUDING HOUSING

• GCC consumer price have decreased by -0.2% in September 2018/ August 2018.

OVERVIEW OF CPI MOVEMENTS IN September 2018

• The most significant price decrease during September 2018 were in Recreation -2.2%, Transport -1.1%, Miscellaneous -0.7%, “Communication” and “Restaurant & Hotels” by -0.1% each. In contrast, “Clothing” and “Education” increased by 0.6% each, “food” and “Furnishings” 0.3% each and Tobacco by 0.1%, while there is no change in prices of Health group compared with the previous month.

Further information and statistics are available from the GCC-Stat website: http://www.gccstat.org
For more details on the construction of the GCC index of consumer price change, see (https://www.gccstat.org/images/gccstat/docman/Standards/GCC_aggregate_inflation_-_methodology.pdf)