KUWAIT: Consumer price index inflation rose three percent year-on-year in July, data from the Central Statistical Administration (CSA) showed. The CSA said in a statement to KUNA that the inflation rate in Kuwait rose 0.15 percent in July on a monthly basis compared to June. It attributed the rise in inflation on an annual basis to the increase in prices of major groups affecting the movement of the indices, especially clothing, food, education and clothing.

It explained that the index of the first group (food and beverages) rose in July by 5.89 percent compared to the same month in 2023, while the price index of the second group (cigarettes and tobacco) rose slightly by 0.15 percent on an annual basis. It stated that the index of the third group (clothing) rose by 5.63 percent, while the prices of the (housing services) group rose by 0.91 percent, and the inflation rate in the fifth group (home furnishings) rose by 3.79 percent.

The statistics agency reported that the price index of the sixth group (health) rose by 4.07 percent, while the prices of the transportation group rose by 0.49 percent last July compared to the same month in 2023. The statistics agency indicated that the prices of the eighth group (communications) rose by 2.45 percent on an annual basis, and the inflation rate in the ninth group (entertainment and culture) rose by 2.35 percent.

The prices of the tenth group (education) rose by 0.96 percent. It pointed out that the prices of the restaurants and hotels group rose by 2.52 percent, while the prices of the ‘various goods and services’ rose by 4.86 percent. The inflation rate in Kuwait, excluding the food and beverage group, rose by 2.35 percent on an annual basis last July. — KUNA