Inflation up by 1.65% in first nine months of 2024 – DoS

AMMAN — The Consumer Price Index (CPI), a primary inflation indicator, rose by 1.56 per cent from January to October 2024, reaching 110.58 points, up from 108.88 points during the same period last year.

According to a monthly report released on Monday by the Department of Statistics (DoS), key categories contributing to the cumulative CPI increase by October included personal items, up by 11.60 per cent, water and sanitation by 7.34 per cent, union contributions by 5.86 per cent, rents by 3.86 per cent, and tobacco and cigarettes by 3.53 per cent, the Jordan News Agency, Petra reported. 

The report also indicated that the CPI for October stood at 110.61 points, a 0.76 per cent rise from 109.78 points in October of the previous year, driven by the personal items category, which surged by 21.38 per cent, followed by water and sanitation at 7.34 per cent, tobacco and cigarettes at 6.77 per cent, union contributions at 5.86 per cent, and spices and food seasonings at 4.82 per cent. 

The overall increase was moderated by declines in the categories of fruits and nuts (down 6.92 per cent), vegetables and legumes (down 6.31 per cent), furniture and carpets (down 3.04 per cent), and fuel and lighting (down 2.74 per cent), according to the report.

On a monthly basis, the index for October held steady at 110.61 points, the same as in September.

The main categories contributing to the monthly decrease in the CPI in October compared with September included meats and poultry down by 1.81 per cent, fruits and nuts by 1.24 per cent, culture and recreation by 0.95 per cent, transportation by 0.72 per cent, and fuel and lighting by 0.65 per cent.