MUSCAT: Oman’s year-on-year consumer inflation for May 2017 touched 1.96 per cent, driven by a rise of 7.46 per cent in the transport set, 1.57 per cent in housing, water electricity, gas and other fuels set and 23.93 per cent in tobacco sets, according to data released by the National Centre for Statistics & Information (NCSI).
Prices of foods and non-alcoholic beverages went down 0.03 per cent in May this year compared with the prices during the same period in 2016. The clothing and footwear set also fell 0.06 per cent in May 2017 compared to the same month last year, while furnishing household equipment and routine household maintenance rose 2.46 per cent compared to last year.
The health set rose slightly by 0.40 per cent while communication fell 2.90 per cent against last year’s prices, while recreation and culture set, and restaurant and hotels registered 0.15 per cent and 0.34 per cent rise respectively.
In the food and beverages set, fish and seafood turned costlier by 1.54 per cent, the prices of bread and cereals fell 0.56 per cent, of milk, cheese and eggs declined by 1.24 per cent. The price of meat rose 0.36 per cent and that of vegetables by 2.86 per cent. The price of oils and fats fell 0.06 per cent and fruits by 2.77 per cent in May compared to the same period in 2016.
There was also a rise in miscellaneous goods and services at 1.38 per cent.
