logo
Inflation Remains Steady At 2.3% In April

Inflation Remains Steady At 2.3% In April

Gulf Insider16-05-2025
The annual inflation rate in Saudi Arabia stood at 2.3 percent in April 2025, maintaining the same rate of the previous month of this year and the same month of 2024. Consumer Price Index or inflation was mainly impacted by an 11.9 percent increase in apartment rents, according to the monthly statistics bulletin published by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) on Thursday.
The report showed that housing, water, electricity, gas, and fuel prices rose by 6.8 percent, driven by an 8.1 percent increase in residential rents, impacted by an 11.9 percent increase in apartment rents. The increase in this category had a significant impact on the continued pace of annual inflation in April, given its weight of 25.5 percent.
Food and beverage prices rose by 2.2 percent, driven by a 9.4 percent increase in vegetable prices. Meanwhile, the education category recorded a 1.3 percent increase, impacted by a 5.6 percent increase in post-secondary non-tertiary education fees.
According to the GASTAT report, prices for the miscellaneous personal goods and services category rose by 3.5 percent, impacted by a 21.9 percent increase in the prices of jewelry, watches, and valuable antiques. Restaurant and hotel prices also rose by 2 percent, driven by a 2 percent increase in catering services.
On the other hand, prices for the home furnishings and equipment category fell by 1.8 percent, impacted by a 3.5 percent decrease in the prices of furniture, carpets, and floor coverings. Prices for the clothing and footwear category fell by 1.2 percent, impacted by a 2.1 percent decrease in the prices of ready-made garments. Prices for the transportation category also fell by one percent, impacted by a 1.8 percent decrease in the purchase price of vehicles.
The Consumer Price Index witnessed a 0.4 percent decrease in the prices of the recreation and culture category, while the transportation, communications, and health categories recorded a 0.1 percent decrease. Tobacco product prices remained relatively unchanged in April 2025.
According to GASTAT, the Consumer Price Index measures the price of a fixed basket of 490 goods and services paid by consumers. The basket is selected based on a 2018 household income and expenditure survey, which determined the items and their respective weights. Prices are collected through on-site visits to sales points. The CPI statistics are published monthly.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Saudi Arabia's GDP Grows 3.9% In Q2 On Rebound In Oil, Non-Oil Sectors
Saudi Arabia's GDP Grows 3.9% In Q2 On Rebound In Oil, Non-Oil Sectors

Gulf Insider

time3 days ago

  • Gulf Insider

Saudi Arabia's GDP Grows 3.9% In Q2 On Rebound In Oil, Non-Oil Sectors

Saudi Arabia's real GDP expanded by 3.9% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2025, according to flash estimates released by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The growth was led by a 4.7% increase in non-oil activities, followed by a 3.8% rise in oil activities and 0.6% in government activities. On a quarterly basis, seasonally adjusted GDP rose by 2.1% compared to Q1 2025, supported largely by a strong 5.6% jump in oil sector performance. Non-oil activities also posted a healthy 1.6% growth, while government activity declined slightly by 0.8%. Analysts at S&P Global Market Intelligence expect this momentum to continue in the second half of 2025. 'As oil production ramps up in line with OPEC+ agreements and Vision 2030 reforms continue to drive non-oil diversification, we forecast real GDP growth to accelerate to 4.8% in 2025, up from 2.0% in 2024,' they said in a statement. Domestic demand and consumer spending are expected to play a leading role in driving the economy this year, though private fixed investment may stay muted. Public investment growth is also likely to remain constrained as the kingdom manages fiscal deficit targets. The combination of rising oil exports and sustained non-oil expansion underscores Saudi Arabia's resilience amid shifting global economic dynamics and positions it for stronger full-year performance.

Stocks rise on easing US-China trade tensions, cool US inflation
Stocks rise on easing US-China trade tensions, cool US inflation

Daily Tribune

time12-06-2025

  • Daily Tribune

Stocks rise on easing US-China trade tensions, cool US inflation

Stock markets edged higher yesterday as investors welcomed cooler US inflation data and a China-US agreement aimed at lowering trade tensions. After two days of talks between US and Chinese negotiators in London, US President Donald Trump said: 'Our deal with China is done'. The United States and China slashed tit-for-tat tariffs after negotiations in Geneva last month, but tensions flared up again after Trump later accused Beijing of violating the pact reached in Switzerland. The positive London talks provided some relief to markets. 'Wall Street's three main indices rose as trading got underway in New York and Europe's main indices were higher in afternoon deals. Asian stock markets also won a lift on the China-US progress, with Hong Kong among the best performers. As well as tariffs, a key issue in the discussions was China's export of rare earths used in smartphones and electric vehicles, while Beijing was keen to see an easing of restrictions on its access to tech goods. The talks came as World Bank downgraded its 2025 forecast for global economic growth to 2.3% -- from the 2.7% predicted in January -- citing trade tensions and policy uncertainty. It also said the US economy would expand 1.4% this year, half of its 2024 growth. Meanwhile data showed little impact of Trump's tariffs on US consumer prices in May. Between April and May, the consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.1 percent. Analysts had expected it to continue at the 0.2 rate it rose in April. It also rose less than expected in the so-called core reading that excludes volatile food and energy prices. 'The key takeaway from the report is that both headline and core CPI were lower than expected on a month-over-month basis,' said analyst Patrick O'Hare. 'While these readings may not give a big boost to near-term rate cut expectations, they should also not cause the market to think that the next cut will be delayed,' he added. Investors have worried that a tariff-driven surge in inflation could hinder the Federal Reserve from lowering interest rates to counter the slowdown in growth. Investors now see a 57% chance the Fed, which has so not reduced rates since December, will cut rates in September.

Number of passengers at Saudi airports jumps 15pc in 2024
Number of passengers at Saudi airports jumps 15pc in 2024

Trade Arabia

time19-05-2025

  • Trade Arabia

Number of passengers at Saudi airports jumps 15pc in 2024

The total number of people travelled through the airports across Saudi Arabia exceeded 128 million during the year 2024, and this figure marks a 15 per cent increase compared to the previous year. According to the Air Transport Statistics Publication 2024, published by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), there has been a notable increase in both passenger and air cargo traffic at the Kingdom's airports last year compared to 2023, reported Saudi Gazette. The number of International flight passengers surpassed 69 million, representing a 14 per cent rise from 2023, while domestic flight passengers exceeded 59 million, an increase of 16 per cent from the same year. King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah topped the list in terms of passenger numbers, receiving around 49 million passengers with a growth rate of 14 per cent, followed by King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh, which handled 37.6 million passengers with an 18 percent increase. King Fahd International Airport, Dammam came third, serving 12.8 million passengers with a 15 per cent increase. The average daily number of domestic flight passengers at the Kingdom's airports reached approximately 162,000, while the average number for international flights stood at around 189,000. Regarding air cargo, total cargo volumes reached 1.2 million tons in 2024, recording a 34 per cent increase compared to 2023. March was the peak month for cargo traffic, with a total of 123,000 tons. The cargo volumes were distributed as follows: 64,000 tons of outbound cargo, 720,000 tons of inbound cargo, and 407,000 tons of transit cargo. The total number of aircraft in the Kingdom's fleet reached 361, representing an 11 per cent increase compared to 2023. Commercial aviation fleet recorded the highest share, with 258 aircraft, an increase of 12 percent over 2023, and a capacity of more than 250 passengers, totaling 97 aircraft. Meanwhile, the general aviation fleet included 103 aircraft, marking a 7 per cent increase. As part of efforts to develop the air transport industry, the publication is released annually by GASTAT to provide accurate data and indicators on the Kingdom's air transport system, including passenger movement, flights, and cargo operations across both commercial and general aviation sectors.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store