CPI rises by 4.6% in February

AMMAN — The consumer price index (CPI) rose by 4.6 per cent in February 2017 compared to the same month last year, according to the Department of Statistics (DoS).

The figure was the outcome of an increase in the prices of some commodity groups coupled with a drop in the prices of others. Among the groups which contributed to the increase were transport, vegetables, as well as dry and canned legumes.

These rose by 18 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively. Also, tobacco and cigarettes and health care contributed to the increase as their prices went up by 11 per cent, each. Moreover, rentals went up by 2 per cent.

The groups whose prices dropped were meat and poultry by 5 per cent, fruits and nuts by 10 per cent, garments by 4 per cent and dairy products and table eggs by 2 per cent, according to the DoS.

The CPI is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services.