News Release
Consumer Price Index
April 2008

May15, 2008

The All Jamaica ‘ All Divisions' Consumer Price Index for the month of April 2008 was 124.8, this represents a 1.5 per cent increase over the index for March 2008. This movement indicates a 0.3 percentage point increase over the 1.2 per cent recorded in March 2008. For the calendar year to date, the rate of inflation was 6.8 per cent. Point-to-point inflation for the April 2007 to April 2008 stood at 21.3 per cent. The Fiscal year to date inflation was 1.5 per cent.

A look at the regional indices showed increases for all three regions ‘ Greater Kingston Metropolitan Area' up by 1.2 per cent, ‘ Other Urban Centres' up by 1.5 per cent and ‘ Rural Areas' by 1.7 per cent. Increases were recorded for all the divisions during the month of April 2008, with the exception of ‘ Communication '.

The index for the ‘ Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages' increased by 1.8 per cent, ‘ Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco' moved up by 0.4 per cent, ‘ Clothing and Footwear' up by 0.8 per cent, ‘ Housing, Water Electricity , Gas and Other Fuels' 2.5 per cent ‘ Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance ' up by 0.7 per cent, ‘ Health ' up by 1.3 per cent, ‘ Transport' up by 0.8 per cent ‘ Recreation and Culture' up by 0.5 per cent, ‘ Education ' 0.9 Restaurant and Accommodation Services' up by 1.0 per cent and ‘ Miscellaneous Goods and Services' increased by 2.0 per cent.

The Revised Consumer Price index Bulletin April2008 further outlines additional information and may be obtained from the Distribution office of the Statistical Institute of Jamaica 7 Cecelio Avenue , Kingston 10. Data is also available on the STATIN website at www.statinja.com