Prices of Saudi commodities rise in October

Prices of 74 goods and services in Saudi Arabia decreased year-on-year (YoY) in October, while prices of 83 commodities rose, official data issued by the Saudi General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) showed.

The classification of commodities was revised by GASTAT in June 2019, to include food and beverages, tobacco, clothes, construction materials, detergents, healthcare, maintenance and repair of personal means of transportation, fodder, hotels and apartments, and personal commodities and services.

Prices of 41 out of 91 food products items increased YoY for the month, while prices of 42 other products declined.

Eggs saw the biggest drop at 21 percent YoY, while prices of US cardamom jumped the most by 27 percent YoY.

Meanwhile, prices of 18 construction materials increased for the month, while the prices of 20 other materials decreased. Steel rebars prices saw the biggest drop of 8 percent, while the prices of black cement rose the most by 13 percent.

Prices of most fodder and livestock products increased in October.

For clothes, prices of 3 commodities saw a decline, while prices of 7 others increased.

Among the four personal services, 2 saw a price rise in October.

Prices of 2 out of 4 detergents increased when compared to the previous year.

Elsewhere, prices of all healthcare services rose in October.

Prices of one service under the maintenance and repair of personal means of transportation decreased in October, with the other one rising YoY.

On the other hand, prices of only one hotel and apartment services dropped on an annual basis in October.

Under tobacco, prices of Marlboro cigarettes edged down 0.3% YoY in October.