Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Ministry of Planning said inflation pressures eased in most months of 2025, with price declines recorded more frequently than increases across the country, including the Kurdistan Region.

Ministry spokesperson Abdul Zahra Al-Hindawi said data compiled by statistical teams showed inflation fell in seven months during the year. The steepest monthly increase came in August, when inflation rose by 0.8%, while the sharpest decline was recorded in June, with a drop of 1.2%.

The consumer basket monitored by the ministry covers 333 goods and services, representing about 88% of total household spending. These items are divided into 12 main expenditure groups, including food and beverages, and housing.

On an annual basis, compared with 2024, inflation followed a shifting pattern throughout the year. Prices increased during the first five months of 2025, peaking in January with an annual rise of 2.3%. From June onward, annual inflation turned negative and continued to decline through the final months of the year.

Iraq’s annual inflation rate stood at 2.6% in 2024, down from 4.4% in 2023 and 5% in 2022, according to recent figures released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).