Emirate's inflation up 1.3% 

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) The consumer prices in Abu Dhabi soared 1.3 per cent in the nine months of the year, as meat, fish, coffee prices rose. The food and non-alcoholic beverages group, of the index contributed 55.5 per cent to change.

It happened because the prices of "Coffee, tea and cocoa" subgroups rose by nine per cent, meat 8.3 per cent, fish and seafood by 6.5 per cent, oil and fats by 6.2 per cent and vegetables by 5.4 per cent. The restaurants and hotels group accounted for 48.1 per cent of the increase, this contribution resulted mainly from an increase of 17 per cent in the prices of this group.

The "Education" group accounted for 12.3 per cent of the overall increase occurring during the first nine months of 2012, while the "Transport" group contributed 6.1 per cent to the surge. Among the main groups that slowed down the rise in consumer prices during the first nine months of 2012 compared with the same period of 2011, was the housing and utilities and other fuels" group which contributed 42.1 per cent as the prices of this group decreased by 1.3 per cent. SCAD says the average rise in consumer prices for the third quarter of 2012 was 1.2 per cent. The "Restaurants and hotels" accounted for 60.7 per cent of the increase in the CPI, while prices for this group increased by 20.9 per cent.

SCAD's report reveals that the average consumer prices increased by 1.1 per cent in September 2012 compared with the same month in 2011.