The average goods and services Consumer Price Index of “communications” in the 12-month period ending March 20, which marks the last day of the fiscal 2021-22, increased by 6.4% compared with the corresponding period of the year before.
According to the monthly survey conducted by the Statistical Center of Iran, this marks the lowest annualized inflation among 12 groups of goods and services.
Latest data released by SCI show the CPI of “communications” stood at 186.4 in the month to March 20, indicating a 0.1% increase compared with the month before.
The group’s index registered a year-on-year increase of 4%, which also marks the lowest YOY inflation among the surveyed groups.
The 12 groups of the basket of consumer goods and services purchased by households surveyed by 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%.
The overall goods and services CPI in the 12-month period ending March 20 increased by 40.2% compared with the corresponding period of the year before.
The annualized inflation reported on a monthly basis by SCI indicates the fifth consecutive month of decline.
SCI had put the average annual inflation rate for the preceding Iranian month, which ended on Feb. 19, at 41.4%.
The consumer inflation for the month under review (Feb. 20-March 20) registered an increase of 34.7% compared with the similar month of the previous Iranian year. The year-on-year inflation of the month ending Feb. 19 was 35.4%.
The overall CPI (using the Iranian year to March 2017 as the base year) stood at 401.5 for the month ending March 20, indicating a 1.3% rise compared with the month before. Month-on-month consumer inflation was 2.1% for the preceding month.
SCI put average inflation for urban and rural areas at 39.7% and 42.8%, respectively.
The CPI registered a year-on-year increase of 34.5% for urban areas and 35.8% for rural areas in the month.
The overall CPI reached 396.6 for urban households and 429.2 for rural households, indicating a month-on-month increase of 1.2% and 1.6%, 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 March 20 was recorded for “clothing and shoes” with 4.4% and “transportation” that remained unchanged month-on-month.
The highest year-on-year inflation in the month under review was posted for “hotels and restaurants” with 56.7% while the lowest YOY inflation was registered for “communications” with 4%.
The highest and lowest annualized inflation rates were registered for “hotels and restaurants” with 61.6% and “communications” with 6.4%.
