Qatar's annual inflation surged 15 per cent at the end of March, an official at the government's Planning Council said.

Inflation hit a record 11.83 per cent in 2006, compared with 8.8 per cent the previous year, as construction costs and rents soared.

Details of the latest data would be released later, the Planning Council official said.

Qatar's finance minister said last week he expected inflation to fall to about 7 per cent as early as next year. Reuters