\n| \n I.b Prices<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Consumer Price Index (CPI), used to measure inflation, reflects an increase of only 0.1% in prices in June 2011 compared to the previous month, but an inflation rate of 3.1% in the year since June 2010. The highest price rises in June 2011 were in education and in textiles, clothing and footwear, while the largest price decreases were in miscellaneous goods and services and in furniture and household goods.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \n\n Consumer Price Index (2004 = 100)<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: PCBS.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n| \n The CPI increased by 1.0% in June in the West Bank, led primarily by increases in the price of textiles, clothing and footwear, food and soft drinks, and education. The cost<\/p>\n of recreational, cultural goods and services presented the biggest decrease in this region. In East Jerusalem the CPI rose by 0.1%, pushed primarily by a significant rise in the cost of education, followed by textiles, clothing and footwear. The price of housing saw the biggest decline, followed by the cost of miscellaneous goods and<\/p>\n services, and medical care.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n\n Change in Consumer Price Index by major expenditure groups<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n June 2011<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: PCBS<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n \n In the Gaza Strip the CPI declined by 0.3% during the month of June. The most significant decreases in prices in Gaza during the month were in furniture and household goods, miscellaneous goods and services, and food and soft drinks. Restaurants, cafes and hotels exhibited the highest price increase during the month, followed<\/p><\/div>\n \n by communications and medical care.<\/p><\/div>\n \n II.c Exchange Rates<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n The NIS increased in value against the US dollar and the euro in June 2011. The JOD exchange rate to both the euro and the US dollar remained unchanged.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n Average Monthly Exchange Rates<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: PCBS.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n II.d Labor Market<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n In Q1\/2011 the labor force participation rate of persons aged 15 years and above was 41%. The number of persons participating in the labor force was 996,900 – about 4,300 less than at the end of 2010. Of these, about 672,700 were in the West Bank and 324,200 were in the Gaza Strip. The labor force participation rate in the West Bank reached 43%, while it was only 37% in the Gaza Strip. In the case of males over 15 years, 67% of them participated in the labor force, while only 15% of women over 15 years did.<\/p><\/div>\n \n Labor Force Participation rate (%)<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n (Labor Force in Thousands)<\/strong><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: PCBS, Labor Force Surveys.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n \n\n| \n Overall unemployment decreased from 23% to 22% in Q1\/2011 but continues to show great variations with sex and age, affecting the young more than other age groups. Whereas there was no differential between the unemployment rates of men and women in Q4\/2010 (both were 23%), in Q1\/2011 women’s unemployment rate was six percentage points above men’s (27% vs. 21%). Men in the youngest (15-19) and the older (45-49 and 50+) age groups benefited the most in relative terms from the fall in unemployment. In the case of women, the unemployment rate actually increased for all groups except the 35-to-39-year age group. The highest unemployment rate of any group in Q1\/2011 was experienced by women 20-to-24-years old: 57%.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n\n Unemployment rate<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n Q1\/2011<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: PCBS, Labor Force Survey.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n \n The average duration of the period of unemployment went down from 16 months in Q4\/2010 to 13 months in Q1\/2011. Even though the average period of unemployment is still more than twice as long in Gaza as in the West Bank, in Gaza it decreased from 24 months in Q4\/2010 to 19 months in Q1\/2011, while it increased in the West Bank from 8 to 9 months. Contrary to what was observed in the previous quarter, the period of unemployment was longer for women than for men in Q1\/2011. The biggest change observed during the period was for men in Gaza, whose average duration of unemployment decreased from 25 to 18 months.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n Average Duration of Unemployment (In Months)<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n Q1\/2011<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: PCBS, Labor Force Survey.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n \n\n| \n Overall unemployment decreased from 23% to 22% in Q1\/2011 but continues to show great variations with sex and age, affecting the young more than other age groups. Whereas there was no differential between the unemployment rates of men and women in Q4\/2010 (both were 23%), in Q1\/2011 women’s unemployment rate was six percentage points above men’s (27% vs. 21%). Men in the youngest (15-19) and the older (45-49 and 50+) age groups benefited the most in relative terms from the fall in unemployment. In the case of women, the unemployment rate actually increased for all groups except the 35-to-39-year age group. The highest unemployment rate of any group in Q1\/2011 was experienced by women 20-to-24-years old: 57%.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n\n Unemployment Rate<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n Q1\/2011<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: PCBS, Labor Force Survey.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n \n The average duration of the period of unemployment went down from 16 months in Q4\/2010 to 13 months in Q1\/2011. Even though the average period of unemployment is still more than twice as long in Gaza as in the West Bank, in Gaza it decreased from 24 months in Q4\/2010 to 19 months in Q1\/2011, while it increased in the West Bank from 8 to 9 months. Contrary to what was observed in the previous quarter, the period of unemployment was longer for women than for men in Q1\/2011. The biggest change observed during the period was for men in Gaza, whose average duration of unemployment decreased from 25 to 18 months.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n Average Duration of Unemployment (In Months)<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n Q1\/2011<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: PCBS, Labor Force Survey.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n \n\n| \n Fertility and Household Size<\/strong><\/p>\nFertility in oPt is estimated to have declined considerably between 1997 and 2010, when it reached 4.2 births. This reduction was experienced in the West Bank and Gaza, although fertility in Gaza remains significantly higher. The fall in fertility rate has been accompanied by a decline in the average size of households, from 6.4 persons in 1997 to 5.9 persons in 2010. Average household size has shrunk in both the West Bank and Gaza, but households in Gaza continue to be generally larger. Whereas average household size declined by 0.5 since 1997 to reach 5.6 persons in 2010 in the West Bank, it declined by 0.4 in Gaza and reached 6.5 persons.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n \n\n Fertility Rate<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: PCBS, Family Health Survey <\/i>(preliminary results).<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n III. PUBLIC SECTOR<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n Government revenue in Q1\/2011 was 31% higher than in the previous quarter, and 26% higher than in Q1\/2010. Government non-wage expenditure decreased by 32% and net lending by 5% in the first quarter of 2011, but wage expenditure increased by 5%. The government deficit shrank considerably to US$183.1 million, but external<\/p><\/div>\n \n budgetary support also fell, to US$166.3. (See further details in Table A3. in Annex A.)<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n \n\n Fiscal Situation<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n Source: Ministry of Finance.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n IV. BANKING SECTOR<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n Information on bank credit, particularly credit to productive sectors, gives an indication of economic progress and business confidence. Data for oPt show a gradual increase in the use of credit over time, and in Q1\/2011 the total value of credit increased by more than 9% to reach US$3,155 million. The proportion of credit destined to<\/p><\/div>\n \n businesses increased by one percentage point and represented 59% of the total in Q1\/2011. The proportion of credit absorbed by consumers remained unchanged at<\/p><\/div>\n \n 29% during the quarter, and that corresponding to public services decreased by one percentage point to 12%.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n \n\n Total Value of Bank Credit and Distribution<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n by Borrowing Entity<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: PMA.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n <\/p>\n \n Most of bank credit is in the form of loans, and their size relative to total bank credit grew by one percentage point to reach 70% in Q1\/2011. At the same time, the proportion of overdrafts in total credit decreased, while that of leasing was almost unchanged. (See further details in Tables A4. and A5. in Annex A.)<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n Distribution of Bank Credit by Type (%)<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n (Bank Credit by Type in Million US$)<\/strong><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: PMA.<\/p><\/div>\n \n Note: The totals may not be exactly equal to the sum of percentages due to rounding.<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n Q1\/2011 saw an increase of 1% in total bank deposits. Deposits stem mainly from the private sector (90% of total deposits), particularly from residents (87%). The proportion corresponding to non-residents increased by almost 5% in Q1, following sharp falls in Q3 and Q4\/2010. The proportion of public sector deposits in total deposits contracted by 1% in Q1\/2011.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n Distribution of Bank Deposits (In Million US$)<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n \n Source: PMA<\/p><\/div>\n \n Note: Data do not include deposits of the PM A and commercial banks.<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n \n\n| \n Current accounts are the main form of deposits for residents and non-residents, as well as for government. (See further details in Table A6. in Annex A.) The amount of loans relative to deposits gives an idea of the liquidity of the banking system. In a functioning economy, a relative increase in loans versus deposits (within limits) can be perceived as a positive sign, as monies are not saved but invested or consumed, which in turn stimulates the economy. In oPt, the loan-to-deposit ratio increased from 40% to 43% in Q1\/2011 as loans grew much faster than deposits. (See further details in Table A7. in Annex A.)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n | \n\n Total Bank Loans Total <\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n Bank Deposits<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n and Loan-to-Deposit Ratio<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n \n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: PMA.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\n\n Area Licensed for New Construction<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: Engineering Offices and Consulting Firms.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n \n June 2011 data show an increase of 2% in the area licensed for new construction in the West Bank compared to the previous month. This level is 15% lower than the pre-intifada (August 2000) level. (See further details in Table A9. in Annex A.) (Data for Gaza have not been released.)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n \n Forty-six companies from five economic sectors (banking and financial services, insurance, investments, industry, and services) are currently listed in the Palestinian Stock Exchange. At the end of June 2011 market capitalization was about US$2.8 billion. Data for the month of June show a decrease of approximately 58% in the number of shares traded and 46% in the value of shares traded. Of the 39 companies traded in the month, 11 were gainers and 27 were decliners.<\/p><\/div>\n \n The Al-Quds index declined by 1.2% in June 2011.<\/p><\/div>\n \n Securities Trade<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n <\/p><\/div>\n
\n Source: Palestine Securities Exchange.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \n \n\n\n\n VI. TRADE<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n | | | | | |
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