April CPI dips on lower power bills as Singer shutters Brown's Town after 36 years

Consumer prices in Jamaica edged down by 0.3% in April 2026, the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) reported in its latest consumer price index release.

The monthly drop was led chiefly by cheaper electricity, which pulled the housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels grouping down by 4.3%. Within that segment, electricity, gas, and other fuels alone fell 12.5% for the month.

Those gains were partly undone by rising food and transport costs. The food and non-alcoholic beverages division climbed 0.6%, lifted mainly by higher prices for farm goods such as ripe banana, orange, and watermelon. Transport rose 1.1% on higher petrol prices.

STATIN put Jamaica's point-to-point inflation rate at 4.3% as at April 2026. Over the preceding year, the largest upward pressure came from food and non-alcoholic beverages, housing and utilities, and transport.

In Brown's Town, St. Ann, the shutdown of Singer Furniture after 36 years has thrown a spotlight on how fast commercial growth has outpaced the town's roads, parking, and delivery space. Shoppers have been directed to the chain's Ocho Rios outlet.

Dr. Ransford Davidson, president of the St. Ann Chamber of Commerce, said congestion and overcrowding—including a market hosting more than 700 vendors and draw from several parishes—have made it hard for trucks to park and distribute goods. He warned that without relief, more firms could leave. Chamber leaders have floated a bypass, outward expansion, and use of space on the Minard property so growth does not repeat past planning gaps. Davidson urged stakeholders to draft a sustainable development plan for the next three to four years as housing and commerce investment across the parish accelerates.

On the Jamaica Stock Exchange, the main index gained 692 points and the junior market index rose 33 points. Among advancers were Derrimon Trading, Cargo Handlers, Berger Paints, Elite Diagnostic, and JetCon Corporation. Decliners included MFS Capital Partners, JFP Express Catering, Main Event Entertainment Group, and Caribbean Producers. Twenty-two stocks traded firm.

At the close of foreign-exchange trading, banks and cambios sold the US dollar at an average $159.03, the Canadian dollar at $115.78, the pound at $213.08, and the euro at $187.65.