Inflation inches up in Iraq as costs rise

Shafaq News - Baghdad

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.