TEHRAN (Iran News) – The Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) announced that the Iran’s annual inflation rate during December 22, 2019-January 20, 2020, stood at 38.6 percent, indicating a 1.4 percent decline compared to the 30-day period to December 21.

This comes as annual inflation rates for urban and rural households in the month to January 20 were 38 percent and 42.2 percent, respectively, showing decreases of 1.3 percent and 1.6 percent compared to the figures for the preceding 30-day period, IRNA reported.

According to SCI, the point-to-point inflation rate during the month to January 20 reached 26.3 percent, meaning that Iranian families spent, on average, 26.3 percent more money on purchasing goods and services compared to the payments they made for buying the same items in this duration last year.

Point-to-point inflation during the 30-day time span to January 20 was 1.5 percentage point (PP) lower than that of the preceding month (which ended on December 21).

In the month to January 20, point-to-point inflation rate for the major group of foodstuffs, beverages and tobacco on one hand and non-edible items and services, on the other, witnessed decreases of 4 PP and 0.3 PP, respectively, compared to the rates for the previous month, to stand at 24 percent and 27.4 percent.

In addition, point-to-point inflation for urban and rural households in the month to January 20 amounted to 26.2 percent and 27 percent, respectively, down 1.4 PP and 1.9 PP compared to the figures for the month before.

Monthly inflation, however, reached 0.8 percent in the 30-day period to January 20, showing a decline of 2.4 PP compared to the rate for the preceding 30-day period.

In this period, monthly inflation rate for the group of foodstuffs, beverages, and tobacco decreased 0.3 percent, compared to that of the previous month. This comes as that of the group of non-edible items and services in the same month witnessed a 1.4 percent growth against the month before.

During December 22, 2019-January 20, 2020, monthly inflation for urban and rural families stood at 0.9 percent and 0.5 percent respectively, showing declines of 2.1 PP and 3.7 PP compared to the rates for the previous month.

In the month to January 20, the sharpest price rise in the group of foodstuffs, beverages, and tobacco, compared to the preceding 30-day period, pertained to the subgroup of fruits and dried fruits, such as pomegranates, bananas and watermelons.

In this duration, the highest price rise, month-on-month, in the group of non-edible items and services was related to the subgroups of transportation.

In the 30-day period ending on January 20, the prices of red and white meats, meat products and vegetables, such as tomatoes, witnessed month-on-month decreases.