Year-on-year, prices were higher for food & non-alcoholic beverages (2.2 percent vs 0.9 percent in April) and transport (4.1 percent vs 3.4 percent), mainly attributable to the Ramadan holiday which began on May 5th this year. Additional upward presure came from clothing & footwear (3.7 percent vs 3.6 percent); furnishings (4.3 percent vs 4.2 percent); restaurants & hotels (4.9 percent, the same pace as in April); alcoholic beverages & tobacco (3.4 percent vs 3.2 percent) and recreation & culture (3.2 percent vs 0.6 percent).
Meanwhile, cost slowed for housing & utilities (8.8 percent vs 11.4 percent); miscellaneous goods & services (2.5 percent vs 2.7 percent) and health (2 percent vs 2.2 percent).
On a monthly basis, consumer prices went up 0.4 percent, slowing from a 0.5 percent rise in the previous month.
Annual core inflation, which excludes food and energy, eased to 3.5 percent from 3.6 percent in the preceding month.