Page 6 - Al-Rashed Newsletter May 19

KUWAIT THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
KUWAIT NEWS

Kuwait launches 5G; first in GCC
Kuwait is launching 5G on pilot basis from mid June, making it the first in the Middle
East to do so.
His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah
voiced pride over Kuwait being amongst the first in the region to provide the 5G; the
fifth generation cellular network technology for broadband access.Chairman and
CEO of the Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority
(CITRA) Salem Al-Othaina has announced the completion of the pilot operation of
the fifth-generation networks of telecommunication companies, in coordination with
the authority, and therefore announces the readiness of launching the fifth
generation commercially by mid-June.

Kuwait inflation picked up slightly in 1Q19, but to remain low in 2019
Consumer price inflation rose through 1Q19, finishing the quarter at 0.8 percent y/y
from 0.4 percent at the end of 4Q18. However the rise was smaller than we
expected and has in fact led us to downgrade our inflation forecast for the full year.
Our measure of core inflation, which excludes food and housing, was unchanged,
ending the quarter at 1.7 percent. The rise in headline inflation in Q1 was due to
base effects following price falls a year ago. Prices still fell month-on-month in two of
the first three months of 2019, but the declines were on average smaller than last
year.

Source: Kuwait Times, Arab Times