A gloomy perk

The good news: drinking coffee may make you less prone to depression. The depressing news: coffee prices are rising.

Those who openly admit to not being morning people will not be surprised, but scientists are now claiming that caffeine does indeed make you a happier person (at least if you're female).

Research recently published in the science journal Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that women who drink two or more cups of coffee a day are less likely to become depressed. The findings, reported by the BBC, came from a study of more than 50,000 female nurses in the US.

Normally we'd be rather perked up about these findings, but coffee drinkers in the UAE should refrain from rejoicing just yet.

As The National reported earlier this month, the price of a morning cup is set to increase across the Emirates as the profits of coffee shops continue to be ground down by the rising cost of beans.

"We are considering a price rise," said David Rogers, the general manager of Dunkin Donuts in the UAE, whose coffee costs have increased 50 per cent in the past two years. "The last two years have been zero or negative growth, but the biggest problem is cost increases. It's really hurting."

As ever, when profits drop, the burden shifts to the consumer. And that is indeed a depressing thought for all of us.