‘Leisure, Culture’ Inflation at 47.5%

The CPI of the group stood at 472.7 in the month to Dec. 21, indicating a 2.1% rise compared with the previous month. 
The index, with a coefficient of 1.65%, registered a year-on-year increase of 32.7%. 
The 12 groups of the basket of consumer goods and services purchased by households surveyed by the SCI include "food and beverages" with a coefficient of 26.64%, "tobacco" with 0.59%, "clothing and shoes" with 4.78%, "housing, water, electricity, natural gas and other fuels" with 35.5% (highest), "furniture, home appliances and their maintenance" with 3.93%, "health and treatment" with 7.14%, "transportation" with 9.41%, "communications" with 2.87%, "leisure and culture" with 1.65%, "education" with 1.86%, "hotels and restaurants" with 1.44%, and "miscellaneous items and services" with 4.18%.
Data released by the Statistical Center of Iran show the general annualized inflation has maintained a downtrend for the third consecutive month.
The average goods and services CPI in the 12-month period ending Dec. 21 increased by 43.4% compared with the corresponding period of the year before. 
SCI had put the average annual inflation rate for the preceding Iranian month, which ended on Nov. 21, at 44.4%. 
The consumer inflation for the month under review (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) registered an increase of 35.2% compared with the similar month of the previous Iranian year. The year-on-year inflation of the month ending Nov. 21 was 35.7%. 
The overall CPI (using the Iranian year to March 2017 as the base year) stood at 379.2 for the month ending Dec. 21, indicating a 1.7% rise compared with the month before. Month-on-month consumer inflation was 2.5% for the preceding month.
SCI put average inflation for urban and rural areas at 42.7% and 47%, respectively. 
CPI registered a year-on-year increase of 35% for urban areas and 36.2% for rural areas in the month. 
The overall CPI reached 374.9 for urban households and 403.7 for rural households, indicating a month-on-month increase of 1.6% and 1.8%, respectively.
The highest and lowest monthly growth in the index among 12 groups of the basket of consumer goods and services purchased by households in the Iranian month ending Dec. 21 was recorded for “tobacco” with 3.9%, and “communications” and “housing and utilities (water, electricity, natural gas and other fuels)”, each with 1%. 
The highest year-on-year inflation in the month under review was posted for “hotels and restaurants” with 60.1% while the lowest YOY inflation was registered for “communications” with 2.3%. 
The highest and lowest annualized inflation rates were registered for “food and beverages” with 58.3% and “communications” with 10.7%.