Housing and utility costs, which account for almost 44 percent of consumer expenses, fell 6.7 percent year-on-year and rose 0.1 percent month-on-month in November, according to figures released by Dubai Statistics Center.

Food prices were up 3.1 percent on an annual basis and dipped 0.1 percent from the previous month, the data also showed.

Analysts polled by Reuters in September expected average inflation in the United Arab Emirates federation, where Dubai is one of seven members, at 1.3 percent in 2012 after 0.9 percent in 2011. – Reuters