Although the headline inflation figure has eased, food and rental costs in the country continued to rise by double digit amounts.

Food, beverage and tobacco costs were up 22.9 per cent on the previous month, while rental costs rose by 16.99 per cent.

Hamood Sangour al-Zadali, executive president of Oman’s Central Bank, has said that he expects inflation in Oman to fall below 10 per cent by the end of the year, or in early 2009.