The annual inflation rate in Kuwait edged down to 0.7 percent in April of 2019 from 0.8 percent in the prior month. Prices slowed mostly for food & non-alcoholic beverages (0.9 percent vs 1 percent in March); furnishing & household equipment (2.2 percent vs 2.4 percent) and cigarettes & tobacco (1.6 percent vs 9 percent), while they fell for housing (-0.6 percent, the same pace as in March); miscellaneous goods & services (-0.4 percent vs -0.5 percent) and restaurants & hotels (-0.2 percent, the same pace as in March). Meantime, inflation remained steady for transport (at 1.9 percent); recreation & culture (at 2 percent) and education (at 1.9 percent). In contrast, cost rose further for clothing & footwear (0.5 percent vs 0.4 percent) and health (2.9 percent vs 2.8 percent). On a monthly basis, consumer prices were flat, after decreasing 0.2 percent in the previous month. Inflation Rate in Kuwait averaged 2.86 percent from 1995 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 11.70 percent in August of 2008 and a record low of -1.15 percent in April of 1998.
Inflation Rate in Kuwait is expected to be 1.80 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Inflation Rate in Kuwait to stand at 2.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Kuwait Inflation Rate is projected to trend around 3.50 percent in 2020, according to our econometric models.