A DSC report showed an increase in the annual inflation index of prices of goods and services in the consumer basket of 2.36% in September 2016, compared to September 2015, as the increase in tuition fees led to an increase in the education group index by 7.17%.
Prices of clothing and footwear group increased by 5.68%, while the prices of housing, water, electricity, gas and fuel group rose by 4.59%, and the impact of the change in the price of goods and services in the group of miscellaneous goods and services is an increase of 3.35%. Meanwhile, the prices of the health group rose by 31.8% and also the prices of the restaurants and hotels group increased by 0.61% and the prices of entertainment and culture group rose by 0.55% and food and beverages group rose by 0.18%.
Tobacco Group prices saw a rise of 0.13%, while transportation group index decreased by 4.11%. Also, the prices of the furniture, furnishing and appliances and their repair decreased by 0.32% and that's of communications group slightly decreased by 0.08%.
The third quarter
When comparing the average prices for the third quarter of 2016 to the same period in 2015, we find that the inflation index rose by 2.60%, as the increase in tuition fees led to an increase in the education group index by 7.22%. The prices of clothing and footwear group increased by 5.86%, the housing, water, electricity, gas and fuel group rose by 4.65%. The impact of the change in prices of goods and services in the miscellaneous goods and services group increased by 3.15% and the health group rose by 1.86%, while that's of entertainment and culture group increased by 0.60%.
The monthly inflation index of prices for goods and services within the consumer basket increased by 0.15% in September 2016, compared to August 2016, and this came as a result of the increase in the education group by 4.47%, due to higher tuition fees as well as an increase in the prices of restaurants and hotels group by 0.36%. Also, the inflation index of the housing, water, electricity, gas and fuel group increased by 0.21% and that's of culture and entertainment group by 0.12%.
The price index of some groups dropped, to record lower rates as follows: transport group by 2.85%, food and beverages group by 0.34%, miscellaneous goods and services group by 0.24%, communications group by 0.09%, furniture, furnishing and appliances and their repair by 0.05% and health group by 0.01% .
Comparison
When comparing the average prices for the third quarter of 2016, to the second quarter of the same year, we find that the consumer price index rose by 1.26%, as a result of the increase in the price of transport group by 2.96%. There is also a price increase in the food and beverages group by 2.70%, while the prices of clothing and footwear group rose by 2.59%, and that's of education group prices increased by 1.49%. Meanwhile, health group index increased by 1.22% percent, miscellaneous goods and services group rose by 1.10%, and the index of housing, water, electricity, gas and fuel group rose by 0.78%.