Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AMMAN877
2009-04-15 03:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:
JORDAN'S CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FALLS FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHAM #0877 1050349 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 150349Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4857 INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 6224 RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 3039 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 4004 RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 4144 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 2137 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1668 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 5473 RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
UNCLAS AMMAN 000877
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ELA AND NEA/EX
TREASURY FOR SETH BLEIWEIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN'S CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FALLS FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT
MONTH
REF: A. Amman 193
B. 08 Amman 2354
UNCLAS AMMAN 000877
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ELA AND NEA/EX
TREASURY FOR SETH BLEIWEIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN'S CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FALLS FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT
MONTH
REF: A. Amman 193
B. 08 Amman 2354
1. (U) After seeing prices peak last September with double-digit
inflation, Jordan has now watched its consumer price index (CPI)
fall for the sixth straight month and the March 2009 CPI is .5%
lower than March 2008 (ref A). Jordan's consumer price index has
four main categories (food, clothing, housing, and other goods and
services),and each category has multiple sub-categories. Although
prices went up for food (3.9%) and clothing (7.6%),together they
represent a minority percentage of an average household's
expenditures and the increases were insufficient to counteract
decreases in housing costs (-3%) and other goods and services
(-5.4%). In addition, there were steep declines in the subcategories
of vegetables (-12%),fuel and electricity (-16%),and
transportation (-17%).
2. (U) Consumers continue to complain that except for falling
gasoline prices, they have not seen any of the decreases in consumer
prices that the government continues to announce. One rental car
company sales manager said that it is hard to feel price relief when
the prices of so many things, particularly home heating oil, are so
high. He estimated that his family spent 10% of his income on home
heating this winter. One restaurant chain owner said that although
he has seen his energy costs and some food ingredient costs fall, he
has not lowered his menu prices after raising them last autumn. He
said that the falling input costs would, however, delay any future
price increases but that it is rare for a business to actually lower
its prices.
3. (U) The Jordanian Gas Station Owners Alliance announced on April
13 that it expects gasoline prices to increase 13 - 17% on April 16
as part of the government's monthly world market pricing adjustment
(ref B). This anticipated increase would be the first since August
2008. 90 octane gasoline prices in Jordan peaked last summer at
$.99 per liter but have recently been around $.49 per liter.
Visit Amman's Classified Website at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman
BEECROFT
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ELA AND NEA/EX
TREASURY FOR SETH BLEIWEIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN'S CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FALLS FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT
MONTH
REF: A. Amman 193
B. 08 Amman 2354
1. (U) After seeing prices peak last September with double-digit
inflation, Jordan has now watched its consumer price index (CPI)
fall for the sixth straight month and the March 2009 CPI is .5%
lower than March 2008 (ref A). Jordan's consumer price index has
four main categories (food, clothing, housing, and other goods and
services),and each category has multiple sub-categories. Although
prices went up for food (3.9%) and clothing (7.6%),together they
represent a minority percentage of an average household's
expenditures and the increases were insufficient to counteract
decreases in housing costs (-3%) and other goods and services
(-5.4%). In addition, there were steep declines in the subcategories
of vegetables (-12%),fuel and electricity (-16%),and
transportation (-17%).
2. (U) Consumers continue to complain that except for falling
gasoline prices, they have not seen any of the decreases in consumer
prices that the government continues to announce. One rental car
company sales manager said that it is hard to feel price relief when
the prices of so many things, particularly home heating oil, are so
high. He estimated that his family spent 10% of his income on home
heating this winter. One restaurant chain owner said that although
he has seen his energy costs and some food ingredient costs fall, he
has not lowered his menu prices after raising them last autumn. He
said that the falling input costs would, however, delay any future
price increases but that it is rare for a business to actually lower
its prices.
3. (U) The Jordanian Gas Station Owners Alliance announced on April
13 that it expects gasoline prices to increase 13 - 17% on April 16
as part of the government's monthly world market pricing adjustment
(ref B). This anticipated increase would be the first since August
2008. 90 octane gasoline prices in Jordan peaked last summer at
$.99 per liter but have recently been around $.49 per liter.
Visit Amman's Classified Website at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman
BEECROFT