2007

2008

PRICES

Average CPI inflation rate (%)

2.9

4.1

Average petrol full service  per gallon (CI$)

4.1

4.4

Electricity price (first 200 kwh)(CI$)

59.2

60.8

MONETARY AND BANKING

Net credit to businesses  of  which: (CI$ millions)

Construction

55.1

79.9

Hotel, Restaurant and Bar

60.0

78.7

Real Estate, Renting & Other

298.8

430.3

Utilities (Electricity, Gas & Water)

11.8

25.7

Trade & Commerce

85.9

176.9

Other  1

77.2

161.3

Net credit to households  of  which: (CI$ millions)

Domestic property

1,090.1

1,295.8

Motor vehicles

47.0

44.0

Education & technology

4.8

1.7

Miscellaneous

98.7

143.3

Prime lending rate

7.25

3.25

TRADE

Merchandise imports (CI$ million)

860.0

876.5

Total merchandise exports (CI$ million)

22.1

13.8

TOURISM

Cruise ship passengers (‘000)

1,715.7

1,553.1

Stay-over tourists(‘000)

291.5

302.9

Cruise ship passenger daily expenditure

64

N/A

Stay-over visitor daily expenditure
(per person/per night) CI$

164

N/A

Cruise ship calls (Number)

657

570

Hotel occupancy rate (%)

61.7

62.2

Apt/Condo occupancy rate (%)

42.5

44.0

Hotel length of stay (Days)

4.7

4.5

Apt/Condo length of stay (Days)

6.7

6.4

Stay over arrivals by Country of Origin (‘000)

United States

231.9

240.5

Europe

20.4

21.3

Canada

17.4

18.5

Others

21.9

22.6

PORT AUTHORITY

Port Calls

551

485

Domestic Cargo (000 tons)

329.0

313.4

Containerized Cargo(tons)

256,403

245,010

Break Bulk Cargo (tons)

72,729

68,396

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Banks and Trust licences

281

278

Trust companies

138

141

Mutual funds

9,413

9,870

Insurance licences

793

805

New companies registered

14,238

11,861

Stock exchange listing       

1,748

1,579

Stock exchange capitalization (US$ billion)

168.3

167.7

PLANNING INDICATORS

Number of project approvals

Houses

472

464

Hotels

1

2

Apartments/condos

118

108

Commercial/Industrial

75

60

Government

19

10

Others

542

633

Value of project approvals (CI$ million)

Houses

137.7

118.1

Hotels

55.0

6.9

Apartments/condos

112.8

149.7

Commercial/Industrial

80.5

137.6

Government

56.6

18.6

Others

62.6

77.9

Population (mid year)

54,079

55,998

Employment

Labour Force

37,431

38,999

Total employed

36,026

37,449

Total unemployed

1,405

1,549

Work permits issued

24,877

25,054

Utilities

Fixed and mobile lines in service
as of year-end

130,622

121,448

Total domestic and international minutes for fixed and mobile lines(000)

444,213

493,291

Electricity consumption

(Thousands Mwhrs)

534.2

547.7

Water consumption

(Millions of US gallons)

1,657.7

1,646.1

 Source: www.eso.ky,  
Economics and Statistics Office (ESO)