Oman's year on year consumer inflation in April 2017 reached 1.79 per cent, driven by a price rise of 6.65 per cent in the transport sector and 1.57 per cent in the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels sectors, according to data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Prices of foods and non-alcoholic beverages went down 0.16 per cent in April compared with the prices for the same month last year while tobacco products saw a price hike of 24.33 per cent. 

Clothing and footwear declined 0.41 per cent even as furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance prices rose 3.04 per cent.

Health set logged an upward price revision of 0.40 per cent while communication prices fell 2.92 per cent. Recreation and culture, as well as education registered a price rise of 0.57 per cent and 2.85 per cent respectively.

Restaurants and hotels in the consumer price basket too

recorded a price increase of 0.20 per cent along with a price rise of 1.52 per cent among miscellaneous goods and services.

In the food and beverages, bread and cereals fell 0.41 per cent while meat, and fish and seafood prices went up 0.44 per cent and 3.93 per cent respectively. Milk, cheese and eggs prices declined 1.35 per cent, as also oils

and fats, which logged a price fall of 0.06 per cent.

Fruits, as well as vegetables subset prices eased by 1.86 per cent and 1.80 per cent respectively, in contrast with a price rise of 0.26 per cent in the sugar, honey, jam and confectionary subset.

Other food product prices fell 0.17 per cent, while non-alcoholic beverages turned costlier by 0.04 per cent.

Source: Timesofoman