Doha, February 18 (QNA) - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the State of Qatar recorded 109.90 points in January 2026, marking a decrease of 2.22 percent compared with December 2025, whereas it marked a year-on-year rise of 2.28 percent compared with the same month in 2025.

The index, which measures inflation, comprises 12 main groups of consumer goods, covering a total of 737 goods and services. It is calculated based on the 2018 base year, using results derived from the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (2017-2018).

Data released by the National Planning Council attributed the monthly decrease to falls in six groups, these are: the "recreation and culture" group at 11.97 percent, followed by the "miscellaneous goods and services" group at 3.46 percent, the "restaurants and hotels" group at 1.90 percent, the "clothing and footwear" group at 1.15 percent, the "food and beverages" group at 0.59 percent, and finally the "housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels" group at 0.17 percent.

As for recorded rises, they occurred in the "transport" group at 0.54 percent, followed by the "communication" group at 0.32 percent, the "health" group at 0.27 percent, the "furniture and household equipment" group at 0.20 percent, and finally the "education" group at 0.06 percent, while no change was observed in the "tobacco" group.  

The annual increase, comparing January 2026 with the same month in 2025, was driven by rises in eight groups. The "miscellaneous goods and services" group increased by 12.40 percent, followed by the "recreation and culture" group at 4.90 percent, the "clothing and footwear" group at 3.25 percent, the "food and beverages" group at 2.87  percent, the "furniture and household equipment" group at 2.37 percent, the "education" group at 2.08 percent, the "housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels" group at 1.21 percent, and finally the "communication" group at 0.40 percent.

In contrast, the index recorded declines in three groups on an annual basis, these are: the "restaurants and hotels" group at 2 percent, followed by the "health" group at 1.38 percent, and the "transport" group at 0.48 percent, while no change was recorded in the "tobacco" group.

When calculating the CPI for January 2026 excluding the "housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels" group, the index reached 114.57 points, down by 2.65 percent compared with December 2025, and up by 2.51 percent compared with January 2025. (QNA)