Day: August 14, 2024

Ramallah-Ma'an- The Ministry of National Economy said on Wednesday that Palestinian commodity imports from the Turkish market during the past seven months (January-July) 2024 decreased by 35% compared to the same period last year. According to the customs data of the Ministry of Finance for the mentioned period, the value of Palestinian imports from Turkey amounted to approximately $220 million, compared to $339 million during the same period in 2023. Turkey is the first trading partner of the State of Palestine after the occupying state, as the volume of trade exchange between the two countries is estimated at about one billion US dollars annually, and accordingly the monthly average of trade exchange is estimated at about 80 million dollars. The Ministry of National Economy expects that the volume of trade exchange between Palestine and Turkey will witness a significant increase under the cooperation protocol signed between the Palestinian Minister of Economy and his Turkish counterpart last June to enha nce bilateral trade relations in the short and medium term. The Ministry stressed the daily coordination and follow-up with its Turkish counterpart to facilitate trade between the two countries, and to take all measures that ensure that imports are directly from the Turkish market to the Palestinian market only. The Ministry stated that the follow-up and auditing operations it is conducting with the Palestinian Customs in the Ministry of Finance on the movement of suppliers from global markets, especially Turkey, are essentially proceeding on their normal course and are enhancing the supply of commodity stocks in the Palestinian market. The Ministry called on the public and the media to exercise caution and not to deal with any data and information except from its official sources, especially the rumors spread by the Israeli media aimed at undermining the national interests and the strategic relationship between the State of Palestine and the Republic of Turkey. Source: Maan News Agency

Ramallah - Ma'an - The Palestine Telecommunications Company/Jawwal disclosed its business results and consolidated financial statements for the first half of 2024, achieving total revenues of JOD 118.1 million, compared to JOD 148.1 million for the year 2023, a decrease of 20%. The company also achieved a net profit of JOD 18.9 million for the first half of 2024, compared to JOD 26.1 million for the same period of the previous year. The company's financial results continue to decline, accompanied by the significant impact on its operations and networks operating in the Gaza Strip as a result of the ongoing aggression for the tenth consecutive month, in addition to continuing to provide citizens in the Gaza Strip with hundreds of millions of minutes, messages and free internet services to ensure their communication with the outside world. The decline in the exchange rate of the shekel against the Jordanian dinar also contributed to this decline, as most of the company's revenues are in shekels, as the exchang e rate declined by about 3% compared to the same period in 2023. It is noteworthy that the Palestine Telecommunications Company/Jawwal was established in 1995 as a public shareholding company, linking Palestine to an advanced network in the fields of cellular and fixed communications, the Internet, and information technology solutions that serve more than three million subscribers from all sectors. Source: Maan News Agency

Bethlehem-Ma'an- The dollar and the euro fell slightly against the Israeli shekel, which witnessed a noticeable increase, and traded today at 3.71 shekels, an increase of about 1.3% compared to the representative price that was set on Monday at 3.78. The euro also fell significantly against the shekel, trading at around 4.08 shekels, according to Yedioth Ahronoth. Analysts point out that the possibility of progress on a ceasefire agreement tomorrow within the framework of the conference scheduled to be held in Doha, and Iran's promise to the United States that in such a case it will refrain from responding to Israel, is what led to the strengthening of the shekel. Failure of the summit could lead to a significant reversal of the shekel's weakness and sharp price declines early next week. Investors around the world are awaiting US inflation data, which will be published today at 15:30. These expectations are mainly due to estimates that the US Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates in September, partly due to slowing inflation. Source: Maan News Agency

Ramallah-Ma'an- The Central Bureau of Statistics said that the consumer price index in Palestine recorded a decrease of 1.39% during July 2024 compared to June 2024, by 2.89% in the Gaza Strip, by 0.18% in Jerusalem, and a slight decrease of 0.05% in the West Bank. The decrease in prices in Palestine, according to the 'Statistics', resulted from a decrease in gas prices by 53.37%, egg prices by 30.48%, sugar substitutes and other sugars by 7.43%, fresh fruit prices by 6.57%, and fresh chicken prices by 6.40%, despite the increase in dried vegetable prices by 18.95%, liquid fuel prices used as fuel for cars 'diesel' by 11.67%, 'gasoline' by 9.71%, potato prices by 7.24%, fresh vegetable prices by 5.57%, and fresh meat prices by 1.18%. When comparing prices during July 2024 with July 2023, the data indicates an increase in the consumer price index in Palestine by 51.69%, by 243.66% in the Gaza Strip, by 4.06% in Jerusalem, and by 2.22% in the West Bank. Consumer Price Index at the Palestinian Territories Lev el: The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics indicated a decrease in the cost of living index for the Gaza Strip, despite the price levels remaining higher than their pre-Israeli aggression rates for all basic commodities in the Strip, as the consumer price index in the Gaza Strip recorded a decrease of 2.89% during the month of July 2024 compared to the month of June 2024. The main reason for the decline in the cost of living index in the Gaza Strip is the decline in the prices of some goods, despite the rise in other goods. The "Statistics" pointed out the sharp increase in the cost of living index in the Gaza Strip by 237% from October 7, 2023, until the end of July 07/2024, as a result of the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression on the Strip. Cost of living index drops in Jerusalem: The consumer price index in Jerusalem decreased by 0.18% during July 2024 compared to June 2024, as a result of a decrease in potato prices by 25.46%, fresh fruit prices by 9.08%, egg prices by 3.78%, and fresh chick en prices by 1.56%, despite an increase in dried vegetable prices by 20.15%, fresh vegetable prices by 13.84%, coffee prices by 2.15%, vegetable oil prices by 1.67%, and cereal flour prices (white flour) by 1.53%. The prices of the following commodities decreased in Jerusalem, reaching an average of: potatoes 7 shekels/1kg, lemons 6 shekels/1kg, grapes 20 shekels/1kg, eggs 31.5 shekels/2kg, and fresh chicken 24 shekels/1kg. Stability of the cost of living index in the West Bank: The consumer price index in the West Bank recorded a slight decrease of 0.05% during July 2024 compared to June 2024, due to a decrease in fresh chicken prices by 11.18%, and egg prices by 5.95%, despite the increase in fresh vegetable prices by 10.50%, fresh fruit prices by 7.23%, potato prices by 6.04%, dried vegetable prices by 3.97%, and liquid fuel prices used as fuel for cars (diesel) by 2.90%. Prices of the following commodities decreased in the West Bank** to reach an average of: fresh chicken 15 shekels/1kg, and eggs 17 s hekels/2kg. Source: Maan News Agency

Ramallah-Ma'an- The Central Bureau of Statistics said that the consumer price index in Palestine recorded a decrease of 1.39% during July 2024 compared to June 2024, by 2.89% in the Gaza Strip, by 0.18% in Jerusalem, and a slight decrease of 0.05% in the West Bank. The decrease in prices in Palestine, according to the 'Statistics', resulted from a decrease in gas prices by 53.37%, egg prices by 30.48%, sugar substitutes and other sugars by 7.43%, fresh fruit prices by 6.57%, and fresh chicken prices by 6.40%, despite the increase in dried vegetable prices by 18.95%, liquid fuel prices used as fuel for cars 'diesel' by 11.67%, 'gasoline' by 9.71%, potato prices by 7.24%, fresh vegetable prices by 5.57%, and fresh meat prices by 1.18%. When comparing prices during July 2024 with July 2023, the data indicates an increase in the consumer price index in Palestine by 51.69%, by 243.66% in the Gaza Strip, by 4.06% in Jerusalem, and by 2.22% in the West Bank. Consumer Price Index at the Palestinian Territories Lev el: The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics indicated a decrease in the cost of living index for the Gaza Strip, despite the price levels remaining higher than their pre-Israeli aggression rates for all basic commodities in the Strip, as the consumer price index in the Gaza Strip recorded a decrease of 2.89% during the month of July 2024 compared to the month of June 2024. The main reason for the decline in the cost of living index in the Gaza Strip is the decline in the prices of some goods, despite the rise in other goods. The "Statistics" pointed out the sharp increase in the cost of living index in the Gaza Strip by 237% from October 7, 2023, until the end of July 07/2024, as a result of the ongoing Israeli occupation aggression on the Strip. Cost of living index drops in Jerusalem: The consumer price index in Jerusalem decreased by 0.18% during July 2024 compared to June 2024, as a result of a decrease in potato prices by 25.46%, fresh fruit prices by 9.08%, egg prices by 3.78%, and fresh chick en prices by 1.56%, despite an increase in dried vegetable prices by 20.15%, fresh vegetable prices by 13.84%, coffee prices by 2.15%, vegetable oil prices by 1.67%, and cereal flour prices (white flour) by 1.53%. The prices of the following commodities decreased in Jerusalem, reaching an average of: potatoes 7 shekels/1kg, lemons 6 shekels/1kg, grapes 20 shekels/1kg, eggs 31.5 shekels/2kg, and fresh chicken 24 shekels/1kg. Stability of the cost of living index in the West Bank: The consumer price index in the West Bank recorded a slight decrease of 0.05% during July 2024 compared to June 2024, due to a decrease in fresh chicken prices by 11.18%, and egg prices by 5.95%, despite the increase in fresh vegetable prices by 10.50%, fresh fruit prices by 7.23%, potato prices by 6.04%, dried vegetable prices by 3.97%, and liquid fuel prices used as fuel for cars (diesel) by 2.90%. Prices of the following commodities decreased in the West Bank** to reach an average of: fresh chicken 15 shekels/1kg, and eggs 17 s hekels/2kg. Source: Maan News Agency