Financial Tribune- The goods and services Consumer Price Index for urban areas increased 7.1% in the 12-month period ending May 21, which marks the end of the Iranian month of Ordibehesht, compared with last year’s corresponding period, the Statistical Center of Iran announced in its latest report.

SCI put the preceding month’s inflation rate at 6.9%. The overall consumer price index (using the Iranian year to March 2012 as the base year) stood at 244.4 in Ordibehesht, indicating a 0.2% decrease compared with the previous month and a year-on-year increase of 9.6% compared with last year’s similar month.

The goods and services CPI for rural areas in the 12-month period ending May 21 increased 8.1% compared with last year’s corresponding period.

SCI had reported a 7.6% rural inflation for the preceding Iranian month.  The overall rural CPI (using Iranian year to March 2012) stood at 261.1 in Ordibehesht, indicating a 0.2% decrease compared with the previous month and a year-on-year increase of 11.8% compared with last year’s similar month.