Business

Inflation rises on housing and food prices

Figures from the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority show that the cost of housing, accounting for 39.3 per cent of the FCSA’s price measure, rose by 3.69 per cent in April compared with a year ago.

John Everington

May 31, 2016

  • English
  • Arabic

Rising housing and food prices pushed up inflation in the UAE to 1.6 per cent in April, according to data released on Tuesday.

Figures from the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority show that the cost of housing, accounting for 39.3 per cent of the FCSA’s price measure, rose by 3.69 per cent in April compared with a year ago. Food and soft drinks prices, which have a weighting of 13.9 per cent, rose by 3.08 per cent.

Such increases were offset by a 6.07 per cent year-on-year decrease in transport costs, following a cut in fuel prices during March.

Inflation was most pronounced in Abu Dhabi in April, rising to 2.67 per cent, followed by a 1.94 per cent increase in Dubai.

At the other end of the spectrum, inflation stood at just 0.44 per cent in Ajman, with a deflation of 0.42 per cent in Ras Al Khaimah.

jeverington@thenational.ae

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Ultra processed foods

- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns 

- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;

- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces

- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,

- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.

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