Inflation Surges by 1.76% in Jordan’s Consumer Prices

Amman: The Consumer Price Index (CPI), an indicator of inflation, saw a 1.76 percent increase in the initial two months of this year, reaching 109.87 points compared to 107.97 points during the same period in the previous year. As per the monthly report from the Department of Statistics released on Monday, notable contributors to this upsurge included the water and sanitation category with a rise of 7.34 percent, personal effects at 6.44 percent, union contributions at 5.86 percent, tobacco and cigarettes at 5.21 percent, and dried and canned vegetables and legumes at 4.50 percent. In February of this year, the general CPI ascended to 110.02 points, compared to 108.32 points in the corresponding month last year, marking a 1.57 percent increase. The primary drivers behind this escalation were the water and sanitation group, personal belongings, union contributions, tobacco and cigarettes, and rents. While there was an overall increase, some categories experienced a reduction in their ascent, including the f uel and lighting group by 1.74 percent, home textiles by 1.25 percent, culture and entertainment by 0.85 percent, and beverages and refreshments by 0.62 percent. Additionally, the index for February of this year exhibited a 0.27 percent rise to reach 110.02 points, compared to 109.72 points in January of the same year. Notable contributors to this increase from January included the dry and canned vegetables and legumes category by 2.81 percent, fruits and nuts by 2.23 percent, meat and poultry by 0.99 percent, transportation by 0.45 percent, and sugar and its products by 0.38 percent. Source: Jordan News Agency