Higher costs in education, food and housing pushed Abu Dhabi inflation up last month compared with June last year. Average consumer prices in the capital advanced 3.38 per cent last month on an annual basis, data released by Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi showed. Prices rose 0.21 per cent last month compared with May. The rise was driven by a 20.1 per cent increase in education costs compared with June last year, with food and non-alcoholic beverages advancing 7 per cent.
Housing and utility costs, which make up the largest part of the basket of consumer goods, increased 6.1 per cent. Inflation in the first six months of the year rose 2.5 per cent compared with the same period last year. Housing and utility costs were the biggest contributor to the annual rise for the half, with prices edging up 5.3 per cent. Food and non-alcoholic beverage costs increased 4.4 per cent and education 20.1 per cent.
The UAE's inflation rate last year was 1.5 per cent, its lowest level since 2000 and far below the double-digit rates of 2007 and 2008. @Email:tarnold@thenational.ae
