Increase in the prices of the goods and services group
The consumer price index (CPI) in Dubai rose by 1.01% in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the fourth quarter of 2016, according to a report released by the Dubai Statistics Center.
The report showed that the rise was the result of the price hike in the goods and services group by 13.73%, which pushed inflation by 0.76 ppt, and the rise in the prices of transportation group by 3.71%, which pushed inflation by 0.36 ppt, as well as the rise in the prices of the restaurant and hotels group by 0.73%, which pushed inflation by 0.03 ppt.
Health Group
The rises also included the health group by 0.56%, the housing, water, electricity, gas and fuel group prices by 0.34%, which pushed inflation by 0.16 ppt, and the price increase of clothing and footwear group by 0.18%.
A number of sectors declined, as tobacco group prices dropped by 5.34%, which reduced inflation by 0.02 ppt, and the price of food and beverage group fell by 2.22%. This led to reducing inflation by 0.28 ppt, while the entertainment and culture group dropped by 0.22% and the prices of furniture, furnishing and home appliances and their repair dropped by 0.19%, which reduced inflation by 0.01 ppt.
The telecom group has also dropped by 0.04%, while the price of the education group has stabilized at its previous levels.
Inflation index
When comparing the first quarter of 2017 with the same period in 2016, the report showed that the inflation index rose by 3.83%, as a result of higher prices in the range of miscellaneous goods and services by 16.58%. That pushed inflation by 0.92 ppt, and the price hike in the transport group by 10.66%, pushed inflation by 1.01 ppt.
The price of education group rose by 7.17%, which pushed inflation by 0.61 ppt. Also, clothing and footwear group prices rose by 6.91%, pushing the inflation by 0.14 ppt, and the rise in the entertainment and cultural group prices was by 2.51%, which pushed inflation by 0.06 ppt.
Housing and electricity
Housing, water, electricity, gas and fuel group prices rose by 2.21%, which pushed inflation by 1.01 ppt, while the prices of restaurants and hotels rose by 1.36%, which pushed inflation by 0.05 ppt. The food and beverage group prices rose by 0.74%, which pushed inflation by 0.09 ppt, and the health group prices rose by 0.30%, although prices in the tobacco group fell by 5.21%, which reduced inflation by 0.02 ppt. The price of furniture and furnishings and household appliances and their repair dropped by 0.78%, which reduced inflation by 0.03 ppt, and the telecom group prices dropped by 0.21%, which reduced inflation by 0.01 ppt.