(8) sections rose, (3) declined, and one remained stable.

"Statistics" : Cost of Living Index rises (0.2%) in April 2016

On Wednesday, the 17^th of Sha'aban 1437 H/ 25^th of May 2016 AD, the General Authority for Statistics (GaStat) issued the monthly indicator of the Saudi cost of living index of the month of April. It is now published on its website www.stats.gov.sa . the indicator recorded a 0.2% increase in April 2016 compared to last month (March).

The report indicates that by measuring 12 main sections, the indicator monthly increase is a result of increasing eight sections: health section, diverse goods and services section, tobacco section, clothes and shoes section, telecommunication section, housing, water, electricity, gas, and other kinds of fuel section, home furniture and maintenance, and finally food section. On the other hand, three sections declined : literacy and welfare section, transportation section, and hotels and restaurants section. However, the education section remained stable and did not change at all.

The cost of living index number aims at providing data about the prices of goods and services that are included in the consumer basket. It also provides data about the cost of living index numbers during particular periods of time. The consumer basket is the actual group of goods and services allocated during the household expenditure and income survey. The quota proration of goods and services consumption is extracted inside the consumer basket, so that it becomes the Cornerstone while measuring the index numbers. The cost of living index numbers are used in measuring the changes in goods and services prices. They are also used as accurate indicators to measure the economic inflation and Regression. Moreover, we can depend on them in the statistical and economic analysis when observing the prices and making estimates. The prices data are collected by conducting interviews. The source address is clarified to make it easy for researchers to start their mission. It was taken into consideration that the distribution of these sources should cover all available goods and services.