Saudi inflation rate ticks down in June – govt data

Saudi inflation rate ticks down in June – govt data

Saudi Arabia's annual inflation rate eased to 2.7% in June from 2.8% the previous month, government data showed on Sunday. Prices for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels rose by 9.1% overall in June compared with the same month last year, while restaurant and hotel prices were up by 4.3% and education up by 3%, the kingdom's General Authority for Statistics data said. On the other hand, prices for clothing and shoes fell 2.9%, communication costs were down by 0.7%, and miscellaneous personal goods and services by 0.1%. Inflation in Saudi Arabia has been on a downward trend since starting the year at a rate of 3.4% in January. (Reporting by Hadeel Al Sayegh; Editing by Hugh Lawson)