http://www.english.hadhramaut.info Headline inflation jumps to 16.5% in Yemen in November [The Source: SANA'A/hadharamaut.info/sabanews.net - 07/01/2011] New figures from the Central Bank of Yemen have showed a sharp increase in inflationary pressures in last November, with consumer price inflation surging to 16.5 per cent year-on-year (y/y) from just 11.9 per cent y/y during the previous month. Much of the increase in the headline rate was due to a steep acceleration of price increases in the tobacco and qat category, which accounts for 15 per cent of the headline index by weight. Prices in that category surged 37.5 per cent y/y in November compared to 10.4 per cent y/y in October. Food prices—which account for just under half of the index by weight—surged by 12.1 per cent y/y during the month, a two-percentage-point increase over the previous month.Housing and utility prices also jumped by a robust 24 per cent y/y.Much of the month-to-month volatility in the headline inflation rate is due to statistical limitations at the Central Statistical Organisation, which limits data collection on a number of the index's main categories to once per quarter or less.Nonetheless, over the last several months inflation has clearly been trending upward as global commodity price increases have filtered through Yemen’s economy via its heavy reliance on imports for the vast majority of its basic food and other needs.