The report issued by Dubai Statistics Center (DSC) showed that the annual inflation index of goods and services in the consumer basket in Dubai increased by 1.94% in April 2016, compared to the same period last year, as the increase in the school fees impacted the increase in the prices of the education group by 6.74%.
Also, the prices of the food and beverage group increased by 4.08% and that's of residency, water, electricity, gas and fuel group showed an increase of 3.99%. The change in the prices of goods and services in the group of miscellaneous goods and services showed an increase of 1.88%.
The restaurant and hotel group increased by 0.43% and that's of tobacco group by 0.26%.
Also, the index of entertainment and culture group increased by 0.18%, while the prices of the group of furniture, furnishing and home appliances and their repair increased by 0.17%. The index of the health group increased by 0.03%, while the index of the transport group decreased by 5.39%, that's of the clothes and footwear group by 2.71% and the communications group by 0.15%.
On a Monthly Basis
The report also showed that the monthly inflation index in the prices of the goods and services in the consumer basket slightly increased at the percentage of 066% in April, 2016 compared to March, 2016. This came as a result of the increase in the price of the transport group by 3.98%, the relative importance of which to the consumer basket is 9.08%. Also, the increase in school fees led to increasing the education index by 2.30%, as it has a relative importance of 4.09% of the total consumer basket. Also, the prices of the food and beverage group increased by 0.61%, and it has a relative importance of 11.08%. The index of residency, water, electricity, gas and fuel group showed an increase of 0.26%. This group is considered the highest in its relative importance to the consumer basket, as it has a relative importance of 43.70%.
The prices of the group of furniture, furnishing and home appliances and their repair decreased by 0.13%. This group forms 3.34% of the total relevant importance of the consumer basket. Also, the prices of the communications group and that's of the entertainment and culture group decreased by an equal rate of 0.08%, as they hold a relative importance to the consumer basket of 6.00% and 4.24% respectively.
Also, the prices of the restaurant and hotel group decreased by 0.05%. This group holds a relative importance of 5.48% compared to the consumer basket. Nevertheless, the index of the prices of goods and services in the group of miscellaneous goods and services, which holds a relative importance to the consumer basket of 6.15%, slightly decreased by 0.04%.
The prices of the rest of the groups stayed at the same levels during the comparison period. The relative importance of the other groups in the consumer basket is 0.24% for tobacco, 5.52% for the clothes and footwear group and 1.08% for the health group.
Food and Beverage
The inflation index of the group increased by 0.61% because of the increase in the price of vegetables by 6.74%, while the prices of fruits increased by 4.74% and also that's of oils and fats by 0.22%.
On an annual basis, the inflation index of the group increased by 4.08% due to the increase in the price of fish and seafood by 23.91%, while the vegetables prices increased by 8.66% and the prices of mineral water, soda and juices increased by 1.62%.
Clothes and Footwear
The index of the price of clothes and footwear was stable compared to the previous month. On an annual basis, the index showed a decrease of 2.71%, due to the decrease in ready-made clothes prices by 3.84% and the prices of shoes and footwear by 0.21%.
Residency, Electricity, and Fuel:
It was noticed that the monthly inflation index of the prices of residency, water, electricity, gas and fuel group increased by 0.26%, due to the increase in the prices of the rents that tenants pay by 0.30%, which is in line with the increases witnessed by Dubai. Also, there was an increase in the prices of goods and services, which in turn impacted the annual inflation index by 3.99% due to the increase in rents by 4.76% resulting from the general increase witnessed by Dubai. Also, the prices of dry or solid fuel increased by 0.14%.
Furniture, Furnishing, Home Appliances and their Repair
There is a slight decrease in the goods and services price of this group, which resulted in a decrease in the monthly inflation index by 0.13% and this decrease is caused by the decrease in the prices of basic home appliances by 2.18%. Also, the prices of small electric home appliances decreased by 1.14% and the non-durable home goods decreased by 0. 21%.
As regards the annual index, it increased for this group by 0.17% due to the increase in the prices of pots, metal and glass kitchenware and tableware by 6.30%. Also, the prices of carpet and floor coverings increased by 2.79%, while the prices of the small, diverse accessories (home lighting accessories) increased by 1.75%.
Health
It was noticed that the monthly inflation index for the health group was stable, while on the annual level, it recorded a slight increase of 0.03% due to the increase in the prices of medical products by 1.16%.
Transport
The transport group increased by 3.98%, due to an increase in the prices of fuel and oils for means of transportation by 9.17% due to the decision of freeing the prices of fuel in the State issued by the Ministry of Energy. Also, the other expenses concerning transportation increased by 0.27%.
As regards the annual index, the index decreased by 5.39% due to the index being affected by the decrease in the price of fuel and oils for means of transportation by 10.79%, due to freeing the price of fuels since last August. Also, the prices of motorcycles decreased by 5.91%, while the decrease in the prices of personal means of transportation by 1.37% led to decreasing the annual index.
Communications
It was noticed that the monthly inflation index for the communications group decreased by 0.08%, due to the decrease in the prices of wired and wireless communication devices by 7.66%. Also, the annual index decreased by 0.15% due to the decrease in the prices of wired and wireless communication devices by 12.90% due to the fact that manufacturers compete to produce the latest trends. Also, the mail service prices decreased by 0.40%.