(6) sections decreased, and (4) rose. "GaStat" : Cost of Living Index remains stable in September 2016 On Monday, the 23th  of Muharram 1438 H/ 24th  of October 2016 AD, the General Authority for Statistics (GaStat) issued the monthly indicator of Saudi cost of living index for the month of September. It is now published on its website www.stats.gov.sa .The indicator didn't record any relative change compared to the previous month.The monthly report indicates that the Saudi cost of living index indicator recorded (137.9) in September 2016 without any relative change compared to August 2016. It recorded an increase above (133.9) from September 2015, recording a rise of 3.0% on an annual basis.The report attributed the monthly increase to the rises of four of the main sections that constitute this indicator; clothes and shoes section with (0,7%), food and beverages with (0.3%), telecommunication section with an increase of (0.2%) , and finally, furniture ,appliances, and maintenance with an increases of (0.1%).On the other hand,  six sections have decreased; commodities and services with a decrease of (1.0%), restaurants and hotels with a decrease of (0,7%), literacy and recreation with (0.4%), transportation with a decrease of (0,2%), housing, water, electricity, gas, and other types of fuels with  a decrease of (0.2%), finally, health section with (0.1%).However, the sections of tobacco and education did not change and remained stable.The cost of living index indicator issued monthly by GaStat aims at providing data about the prices of commodities and services that are in the consumer basket. It also aims at providing data about the cost of living indices within a time series. (The consumer basket) refers to the actual group of commodities and services that are recorded during the household expenditure and income survey. The relative distribution of the commodities and services consumption inside the consumer basket is extracted to make it the base stone in the process of indices calculation. The cost of living indices are used to measure any change in the prices of commodities and services that are purchased by consumer. Moreover, it is used as an accurate indicator that measures the economic inflation and recession. It is also used in statistical and economic analyses that are associated with prices movement and anticipations in different times. Data are collected by conducting interviews. The sources addresses are clarified to the interviewers to facilitate their task. The sources distribution in one city must cover all available commodities and services with all levels.

GaStat: Wholesale Price Index Increases in September On Tuesday, the 24th  of Muharram 1438 H/ 25th  of October 2016 AD, the General Authority for Statistics (GaStat) issued the monthly indicator of Saudi wholesale price index for the month of September. It is now published on its website www.stats.gov.sa . The indicator recorded (163.1) with  0.3% increase in September 2016, compared to last month (August) in which it recorded (162.6).The indicator includes ten main sections; Food and living animals section, beverages and tobacco section, raw materials except fuel, mineral fuel and related products section, Fats and oils section, chemical materials and related products, manufactured commodities classified by material section, transportation equipment and machines section, diverse manufactured commodities section, and other commodities section.The report attributed that increase to the rise of three main sections that constitute this indicator; transportation equipment and machines section with (0.9), Food and living animals section with (0.6%), manufactured commodities classified by material section with (0.1%).On the other hand, six sections have decreased: raw materials except fuel section with (1.4%), diverse manufactured commodities section with (0.4%), beverages and tobacco section with (0.3%), Fats and oils section with (0.3%), chemical materials and related products with (0.1%), other commodities with (0.1%), However, the sections of mineral fuel and related products did not change and remained stable.The authority indicated that the Saudi wholesale index measures the average of change in the prices of commodities and services that are sold in the primary markets. What matters here is the price change only. Therefore, the changes that result from the differences in quality, quantity, shipping method, or any other influencing factor in order to get the net price are excluded. This index is provided to everyone, and conducted all over Saudi Arabia.It is worth mentioning that the wholesale price index is used to record any change in the prices of local or imported commodities. In addition to monitoring the price directions and the  status of markets and costs of living. Furthermore, it is used in preparing the national accounts by protecting the income and national aggregates from the influence of price change.

Minister of economy launches the general authority for statistics and its electronic portal The authority of statistics signs 4 agreements with private and public sectors Media center- Riyadh Minister of economy and planning, chairman of the general authority for statistics, Eng. Adel bin Mohammed Faqeeh, launched the first day of working in the statistical field with a new structure and identity. This was an implementation of the supreme decree issued on 26-12-1536 H which states transforming the central department of statistics to be a general authority called ( the general authority for statistics). The authority is financially and administratively independent. In his speech that was declared in the launching event which was held in Marriot hotel, the minister expressed his gratitude and thanks to the custodian of the two holly mosques, king Salman bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, may God protect him, for his approval to transform the central department of statistics to be an independent authority. He confirmed that the work will start officially in the general authority for statistics as a result of many supreme directives, orders, and resolutions that support and enhance a lot of governmental sectors by transforming them into independent authorities that provide services compatible with the rapid changes and developments. On his part, the authority's general director, dr. Fahad bin Sulaiman Altukhaifi, in his name and on behalf of all the staff of the central department of statistics , and all those who work in the statistical sector , he expressed his gratitude and thanks to the custodian of the two holy mosques for his supreme approval to transform the central department of statistics to a general authority. Dr.Fahad said that this transformation process has been done through six fundamental tracks which can be briefed in a working strategy that is all about the authority’s clients and partners to fulfill the actual need of statistical products, then developing these products and services and improving statistical and data methodologies and procedures. In addition, it focuses on upgrading the level of information technologies and digital infrastructure in order to give the products the ability to start from a very tough base that can cope with all technological changes. It also concentrate on raising awareness and literacy in the statistical field, and finally structuring the authority’s different tasks and departments. He assured that the general authority for statistics’ role has become more important as long as there are national transformation projects as it is very crucial to provide accurate statistical data and effective indicators besides developing the measurement tools. On the first working day and after the transformation process, the authority’s general director has announced that the first of Muharram of the next year will be the day in which the information bank will be issued. This bank is one of the statistical development national strategy’ aspects, which aim to organize statistical data and information in Saudi Arabia, to guarantee providing the governmental sectors and individuals with statistical information and indicators through an easy and accurate technique. This is to support the development decisions via collaborative system, which starts with electronic linking between all data resources in many related sectors. Furthermore, minister of economy and planning Eng. Adel bin Mohammed Faqeeh has launched the electronic portal of the general authority for statistics. In this portal, the users can get all the needed information in very easy and direct ways through many windows and according to the international statistical and technical standards. On the first working day, four agreements have been signed with different private and public sectors. The authority has signed two agreements with the national information center in the interior ministry and e-government program (yesser). These agreements have been signed to develop the techniques of collecting, exchanging, and integrating data. The third agreement has been signed with the national center for communication, aiming to develop the mechanisms of communication with disabled people. It also aims to provide statistical content in sign language. On the other hand, the central department of statistics and information ex-directors and retired employees were honored. After the launching event, the authority held an introducing workshop with many partners from both the private and public sectors. This workshop aimed to introduce the authority and its roles. The participants watched a detailed presentation about the products and services in addition to the interactive statistics window and a brief of the statistical awareness. The minister of economy and planning revealed that the statistical sector partnership with the private and public sectors will open many opportunities for the statistical sector to be constantly developed and improved in order to be able to effectively collaborate in supporting any developmental decision taken by any private or public sector in all fields of national development. It is worth mentioning that the ministers’ council resolution issued on 13/1/1437 H included the approval of general authority for statistics structure, and made it the only authorized entity that technically and structurally supervise the statistics sector. It also made it the only responsible authority for creating thorough national statistical databases in different fields. Moreover, it made it the only responsible entity for managing the authority affairs and creating its own board of directors

Updating the general framework of population and housing paves the way for a new labor force survey "statistics" the accurate information provided by citizens is essential for governmental resolutions and projects Media center- Riyadh Supporting the resolutions of nationalization and reduction of "unemployment",  the General Authority for Statistics ( GaStat ) stresses the importance of information accuracy provided by citizens in the activities of  labor force surveys as these information are essential for the development resolutions and can determine many national programs and projects. During his participation in the first Saudi conference for job creation held in Riyadh, GaStat chairman, dr. Fahad Altukhaifi stated that the citizen is considered the base for  development building , that is through the information that he/she provides during the process of conducting surveys done by GaStat crew. As for the survey of labor force, dr. Fahad confirmed that it is one of the most important household surveys conducted by GaStat . it provides fundamental data about the labor force and its characteristics, which helps in setting the plans to develop the labor market in Saudi Arabia, analyzing and evaluating the economic policies, and helping the decision makers in setting the labor market policies with all the related issues such as unemployment and training. The labor force survey results are very important too as they collaborate in building a data base for the Saudi labor market in order to cope with the interest and anticipations of the labor force statistics nationally, regionally, and internationally. The results also support all tendencies and efforts exerted by the public and private sectors  in the process of nationalization. Moreover, they give an opportunity to collaborate in building a base for these information  that can be beneficial in preparing and planning the future economic and social development programs. The authority conducts this survey every six months , it intends to conduct it every three months in 2016 according to the latest international standards and methodologies. The authority chairman added that providing detailed data about the national and non-national labor force ,classified by their economic, social, and demographic characteristics, is one of the main objectives of the survey, in addition to its role in measuring the averages of economic collaboration, economic support, and employment and unemployment by many variables. It should also provide data about some training programs for job seekers, and be familiar with the vocational structure and the economic activity of employed people by  a number of variables and the average of their salaries. Dr. Altukhaifi thanked all governmental entities who work with GaStat . he assured that the authority is working with all governmental entities which are related to the Saudi labor market ( ministry of labor, human resources development fund, general organization for social insurance, ministry of civil services, and the national information center in the ministry of interior) in order to develop the survey on one hand and benefit from its results on the other hand. The authority is working with them also to unify the efforts so that they can get accurate data of the most important indicators in the Saudi labor market. It is worth mentioning that the labor force survey results depend on the data and information of (33.500) households, distributed among all Saudi administrative regions, as a sample that represents the society. The households are chosen according to international and scientific fundamentals applicable in the population and housing censuses all over the world . GaStat has started preparing for the next survey after updating the general framework of population and housing which depends on the 1431 framework as it is considered the main source from which samples are collected to conduct  future researches.