According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Palestine decreased by 0.66% during January 2016.

Decrease in the CPI during January 2016

The overall CPI for Palestine during January 2016 decreased by 0.66% compared with December 2015 (by 1.67% in Jerusalem J1*, by 0.70% in Gaza Strip, and by 0.64% in the West Bank).

The main reason behind the decrease in the CPI for Palestine is the drop in potato and other tuber prices by 13.13%, egg prices by 8.17%, price of liquid fuel for houses by 6.68%, fresh poultry prices by 5.16%, prices of liquid fuel for cars by 4.89%, fresh vegetable prices by 3.96%, prices of milk products by 2.47%, and fresh fruit prices by 1.85%. However, the prices of dried vegetables increased by 3.03%.

The CPI during January 2016 increased by 0.71% compared with January 2015 (by 1.57% in the West Bank, by 0.35% in Gaza Strip, while it decreased by 1.21% in Jerusalem J1*).

The CPI across the Palestinian Territories

The CPI decreased by 1.67% in Jerusalem J1* in January 2016 in comparison with December 2015 due to the decrease in tuber prices by 24.14%, price of liquid fuel for houses by 13.33%, bread prices by 13.30%, fresh fruit prices by 10.44%, prices of liquid fuel for cars by 6.95%, rice prices by 6.84%, egg prices by 6.25%, fresh meat prices by 6.13%, prices of milk products 5.05%, fresh vegetable prices by 4.17%, and flour prices by 2.30%. However, dried vegetable prices increased by 12.48%, plant oils prices by 7.55%, fresh poultry price by 2.53%, and prices of imported cigarettes by 1.37%.

Moreover, the CPI decreased by 0.70% in Gaza Strip, primarily due to the decrease in tuber prices by 23.01%, fresh poultry prices by 12.76%, egg prices by 9.33%, price of liquid fuel for houses by 5.88%, price of liquid fuel for cars by 4.26%, fresh fruit prices by 3.34%m milk products prices by 3.31%, fresh vegetable prices by 1.49%, and flour prices by1.18%. However, the price of imported cigarettes increased by 3.26%, the price of gas by 1.61%, and the price of dried vegetables by 1.16%.

The CPI decreased by 0.64% in the West Bank because of the increase in egg prices by 7.51%, prices of liquid fuel for houses by 5.88%, fresh vegetable prices by 5.09%, tuber prices by 5.08% prices of liquid fuel for cars by 4.26%, fresh poultry prices by 2.09%, price of milk products by 1.84%, fresh meat prices by 1.01%, fresh vegetable prices by 0.67%, despite the increase in dried vegetable prices by 4.81%. 

Note: Jerusalem J1*:  those parts of Jerusalem which were annexed by Israel in 1967

The data of West Bank doesn't cover Jerusalem J1*