Oman's inflation in May grows 1.14% compared to last year

Muscat: Inflation rate in the Sultanate grew by 1.14 per cent in May compared to the same period a year ago, according to the latest data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) on the consumer price index.
When compared with the inflation rate in April this year, May’s figure slipped 0.02 per cent.
The increase in the price index in May from the corresponding month last year could be attributed to an appreciation in the main groups, such as housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuel groups (1.02 per cent), the transport group (4.83 per cent), shoes and textile group (0.46 per cent) and home appliances and maintenance group (0.8 per cent).
Data also indicated that the groups, which reflected a fillip, are the health group (1.44 per cent) education group (3.03 per cent), restaurants and hotel group (0.1 per cent) and commodities and services group (0.23 per cent).
Drop in some groups
The same data also showed groups, which reported a drop in inflation, namely the foodstuff and non-alcoholic group (0.67 per cent), the communication group (0.26 per cent), and the culture and entertainment group (0.33 per cent).
On the governorate level, the Governorate of Dhofar saw the highest inflation rate at 2.37 per cent, followed by the Governorate A’Dakhiliyah (1.31 per cent) the Governorates of North and South A’Sharqiyah (1.19 per cent), the Governorate of North Al Batinah (1.11 per cent), the Governorate of Muscat (0.94 per cent), the Governorate of Al Dhahirah (0.48 per cent) and the Governorate of Al Buraimi (0.52 per cent).
Compared with April this year, the consumer price index fell by 0.02 per cent as the foodstuff and non-alcoholic group declined 0.23 per cent.
The shoes and textile group slipped by 0.13 per cent, and the hotel and restaurant price index was down 0.21 per cent.
While the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuel groups registered an increase, the health and education group’s price remained unchanged; furniture, home appliances and maintenance declined by 0.54 per cent and the transport group declined by 0.17 per cent.