Kuwait: Wholesale price index (2010 = 100)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2017, Kuwait's wholesale price index (2010 = 100) rose 3.64 on 2016 (from 117.16 to 120.79).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1987 to 2016), the average change was +2.25 and a typical year strayed about 2.46 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 11.24 in 1991 and the biggest yearly fall was 1.26 in 1998. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2008 to 2017 the straight-line trend is upward, about 2.94 a year. A straight line explains 99% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

A straight-line projection, tested first

Extending that straight line gives about 130.57 for 2020. We show this only because the same method, fitted on earlier years, predicted 2015 to 2017 better than "no change" would have: its average miss was 1.11, against 5.55 for assuming no change. Treat it as a continuation of the recent pattern, not a forecast of events: it cannot see a recession, a policy change or a revision to the data.

See how a linear trend forecast works and the guide on forecasting without fooling yourself.

Closest to Kuwait in the 2017 ranking

• Kazakhstan — 1st of 2: 160.4

What this measures

Index of prices of a mix of agricultural and industrial goods at various stages of production and distribution, including import duties, as compared to a certain reference period (2010=100).

All 46 values

Wholesale price index (2010 = 100) in nearby economies

• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 111.48 (2016)
• Israel — 135.09 (2019)
• Pakistan — 211.7 (2024)
• Saudi Arabia — 171.81 (2025)
• West Bank and Gaza — 143.15 (2024)

More financial sector data for Kuwait

• DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) — US$0.31 (2025)
• Net domestic credit (current LCU) — 46.3 billion (2025)
• Net foreign assets (current LCU) — 28.58 billion (2025)
• Broad money (current LCU) — 42.12 billion (2025)
• Broad money to total reserves ratio — 2.66 (2025)
• Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) — US$0.31 (2025)
• Domestic credit to private sector by banks (% of GDP) — 4.92% (2025)
• Claims on central government (annual growth as % of broad money) — 6.39% (2025)
• Monetary sector credit to private sector (% of GDP) — 4.92% (2025)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Kuwait's wholesale price index (2010 = 100)?

120.79 in 2017, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1972?

It is up 413.34% from 23.53 in 1972 (3.7% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 120.79 in 2017 and the lowest 23.53 in 1972.

Is the latest change in wholesale price index (2010 = 100) unusual for Kuwait?

In 2017, Kuwait's wholesale price index (2010 = 100) rose 3.64 on 2016 (from 117.16 to 120.79). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1987 to 2016), the average change was +2.25 and a typical year strayed about 2.46 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator FP.WPI.TOTL, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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