Feb 19 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates National Bureau of Statistics released the following consumer price data for December.

UAE CONSUMER INFLATION 12/16 11/16 pct change month/month -0.3 0.3 pct change year/year 1.2 2.6



NOTE. The statistics authority changed the base year for the consumer price index to 2014 from 2007 starting in October 2016, and changed the weights for basket components. For example, the weight of housing and utilities fell to 34.1 percent from 39.3 percent.

Housing and utility costs rose 1.6 percent from a year earlier in December as year-earlier hikes in utility rates fell out of the calculation.

Food and soft drink prices, which account for 14.3 percent of the new basket, climbed 0.5 percent while transport costs increased 0.4 percent.

(Reporting by Andrew Torchia; Editing by Mark Potter) ((andrew.torchia@thomsonreuters.com; +9715 6681 7277; Reuters Messaging: andrew.torchia.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))