RAMALLAH, May 14, 2007, (WAFA)-Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said Monday that there was an increase in the price index for the Palestinian Territory with its 1996 base year (1996=100).

In a press release on on the price indices in the Palestinian Territory for the year 2007., PCBS indicated that the overall wholesale Price Index (WHI) reached 150.78 in q2 2007, a 0.34% increase relative to q4 2006. The overall producer Price Index (PPI) reached 142.62 in q2 2007, a 0.30% increase relative to q4 2006.

Analysis of wholesale price developments for this quarter indicates increases in the following major groups:

Manufacturing group:+ 0.34 %, Agriculture goods+ 0.37 %,Fishing: +0.19% and Mining and quarrying+ 0.09 %.

It added that analysis of producer price developments for this quarter indicates increases in the following major groups:

-Agriculture goods: + 0.35 %, Manufacturing group:+ 0.26 %, Fishing: + 0.12 % and Mining and quarrying:+ 0.07 %.

Comparing prices of first quarter 2007 with the first quarter 2006, the results show that there was an increase by 2.04% for wholesale price index, and by 1.49% for producer price index.

M.H.(10:10 P)(07:10 GMT)