6.54 % the Average Consumer Price Increase during February 2008

The data issued by the Department of Statistics indicate an increase in the Consumer Price Average during February 2008 by 6.54% compared with the previous month. The main commodities groups, which contributed to this increase, were “Fuels and Electricity” (which increased by 43.42%), “Transportation” (18.48%), “Meats and Poultry” (6.13%), “Vegetables” (15.22%) and “Diary and its products and Eggs” (9.27%).

The reports show also an increase in the Consumer Price Average during February 2008 by 12.48% compared with February 2007. The main commodities groups which contributed to this increase were “Fuels and Electricity” (which increased by 43.43%),“Transportation” (19.2%), “Diary and its products and Eggs” (35.98%) , “Cereals and its products” ( 26.04%), “Fruits” (21.39%) and “ Dry and Canned Legumes” (23.72%).

In contrast, the groups of Communications and “Culture and Recreation” witnessed a decrease in its prices by (0.99%) and (0.58%) respectively.

The reports show also an increase in the consumer price average for the first two months of 2008 by 9.10% compared with the same months of 2007. The main commodities groups which contributed to this increase were “Diary and its products and Eggs” by 31.03% “Cereals and its products” by 23.00%, “Fuels and Lighting” by 21.72%, “Oils and Fats” by 20.85%, “Fruits” by 18.83%, “Dry and Canned Legumes” by 24.18%.

The following figure shows the trend of the Consumer Price Index during 2006, 2007 and the first two months of 2008.