The Ministry of Development Planning & Statistics (MDPS) has released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of June 2015. The CPI of June, 2015 is estimated at 104.6 showing a marginal increase [M-o-M basis] by 0.2% when compared to CPI of May 2015. Compared to the CPI of June, 2014, a rise of 1.4% [Y-o-Y] in the index has been registered.
     An analysis [on M-o-M basis] of CPI [June, 2015 against May, 2015 indices] shows that there are three main groups, where respective indices in this month have risen namely: “Recreation and Culture” group by 1.6%, “Furniture and household Equipment” by 0.5% and “Housing, Water, Electricity and Gas” by 0.4%.  A decline in prices is noticed in the other groups namely: “Food and beverages” by 0.4%, “Clothing and footwear” by 0.3%,” Restaurants and Hotels” by 0.1%, and “Miscellaneous goods and Services” by 0.4%. The other five groups: “Tobacco”, “Health”, “Communication”, “Transportation”, “Education” have remained flat, at the last month’s price level. Figures (4) and (5) show the movement of monthly CPIs of “Food and Beverages” and “Housing, Water, Electricity and Gas”.
 A comparison of the CPI of June, 2015 with the CPI of June, 2014 points a rise in the general index (CPI), by 1.4%. This price surge is affected, primarily by the increasing prices in the ten groups namely: “Education” by 11.1%, “Tobacco” by 6.3%, “Transport“ by 2.7%, “Clothing and footwear” by 2.6%, “Housing, Water, Electricity and Gas” by 1.8% “Furniture and Household Equipment” by 1.1%, and “Restaurants and Hotels” by 0.6%. “Food and Beverages”, “Health”, and “Communication” indices have increased by 0.2% each. Also, there has been a decrease in price levels in other groups namely: “Recreation and Culture” by 2.4%, “Miscellaneous goods and Services” by 0.7%. Figure (1) shows the monthly and annual comparison for CPI of June 2015.
  The CPI of June, 2015 excluding “Housing, Water, Electricity and Gas” group stands at 103.1, showing an increase of 0.2% compared to the index of May 2015 and a 1.3% in comparison to the CPI of June, 2014. Table (2) presents CPI excluding “Housing, Water, Electricity and Gas” and figure (3) shows the Monthly percentage change of CPI with and without Housing component.For more information, click here.
More detailed data on CPI is available on the ministry’s website:  www.mdps.gov.qa  , and in the Qatar information exchange portal, QALAM: www.qalm.gov.qa