Inflation inches up in Iraq as costs rise:
Iraq’s inflation edged up slightly in September, driven by higher housing and service costs, even as food prices eased, the Ministry of Planning reported on Sunday.
Consumer prices rose 0.2% from August, while the annual inflation rate fell 0.3% compared with September 2024, ministry spokesman Abdul Zahra al-Hindawi said.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages dipped 0.2%, pulled down by lower prices for fish (-5.5%), meat (-0.7%), and cereals (-0.2%). Clothing and footwear slid 0.8%, and smaller drops were recorded in household equipment, communications, hotels, and recreation.
Housing prices climbed 0.9%, the strongest monthly increase among the tracked sectors. Health costs rose 0.4%, tobacco 0.2%, and miscellaneous goods and services surged 2.2%. Education and transport remained steady.
