Main Story:
Economic Update
PRICES 2008 2009
Average CPI inflation rate (%) 3.6 -0.2
Average petrol full service per gallon (CI$) 4.61 3.19
Electricity price (first 200 kwh)(CI$) 59.16 45.98
MONETARY AND BANKING
Net credit to businesses (CI$ millions) 748.8 968.2
Construction 77.0 139.7
Hotel, Restaurant and Bar 61.2 114.1
Real Estate, Renting & Other 328.6 422.7
Utilities (Electricity, Gas & Water) 29.7 28.1
Trade & Commerce 77.7 84.2
Other 120.7 179.3
Net credit to households (CI$ millions) 1,384.6 1,628.2
Domestic property 1,117.7 1,393.5
Motor vehicles 43.2 61.7
Education & technology 1.6 3.1
Miscellaneous 222.2 169.9
Prime lending rate (%) 5.0 3.25
TRADE
Merchandise imports (CI$ million) 423.7 368.8
TOURISM
Cruise ship passengers 901,474 846,952
Stay-over tourists(‘000) 178,321 154,604
Cruise ship calls (Number) 346 313
Hotel occupancy rate (%) 62.2 66.4
Apt/Condo occupancy rate (%) 44.0 49.3
Hotel length of stay (Days) 4.5 4.4
Apt/Condo length of stay (Days) 6.4 7.4
Stay over arrivals by Country of Origin (‘000)
United States 145.0 125.0
Europe 11.8 10.5
Canada 11.9 10.7
Others 9.6 8.4
PORT AUTHORITY
Port calls 255 236
Imported cargo (tons) 156.701 132.311
Containerized cargo (tons) 120,247 107,238
Break Bulk cargo (tons) 5,398 4,975
Diesel imports (imperial gallons) 13,893,451 13,272,660
Gas imports (imperial gallons) 3,937,797 4,078,672
Propane imports (imperial gallons) 597,023 317,159
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Banks and Trust licences 280 269
Trust companies 136 138
Mutual funds 10,037 9,825
Insurance licences 800 815
New companies registered 6,844 3,679
Stock exchange listing 1,586 1,330
PLANNING INDICATORS
Number of project approvals 617 483
Houses 245 191
Apartments/condos 62 52
Commercial/Industrial 22 30
Government 5 2
Others 283 208
Value of project approvals (CI$ million)
Houses 60.2 72.7
Apartments/condos 67.4 100.2
Commercial/Industrial 37.3 16.1
Government 18.2 0.1
Others 31.0 71.9
Work permits in effect 26,260 24,270
Source: www.eso.ky, Economics and Statistics Office (ESO)