Amman, April 13 (Petra) -- The Department of Statistics said the General Consumer Price Index (CPI), or inflation, rose by 1.87 percent in March 2026 compared with the same month in 2025, and by 0.76 percent compared with February.

Cumulative inflation for the first quarter of 2026 reached 1.36 percent, down from 2 percent in the corresponding period of 2025, indicating a moderation in price pressures.

The year-on-year increase in March was primarily driven by higher prices in several commodity groups, notably personal effects, which surged by 34.76 percent, followed by vegetables, dried legumes, and canned goods at 15.87 percent, oils and fats at 14.91 percent, tea, coffee, and cocoa at 11.91 percent, and fruits and nuts at 4.67 percent.

Conversely, declines were recorded in meat and poultry prices by 3.34 percent, household appliances by 2.68 percent, fuel and lighting by 1.49 percent, and fish and seafood by 1.36 percent.

On a cumulative basis, the CPI for the first three months of 2026 showed notable increases in personal effects by 37.85 percent, oils and fats by 14.10 percent, tea, coffee, and cocoa by 11.96 percent, fruits and nuts by 4.70 percent, and tobacco and cigarettes by 3.99 percent.

Meanwhile, prices for meat and poultry, household appliances, fuel and lighting, and home maintenance services declined by 6.86 percent, 3.07 percent, 1.49 percent, and 1.08 percent, respectively.

The department noted that the CPI is calculated based on a basket of 850 goods and services, including 325 food items and 525 non-food items.

//Petra// AJ