Jordan increases prices of fuel

Jordan on Thursday increased the prices of fuel derivatives by 1-4.5 percent after fuel's global prices went up, state-run Petra news agency reported. Jordan's Minister of Trade and Industry Hatem Halawani said the price hike will go into effect on Feb. 1 and last one month. Price of gasoline octane-90 rose by 2.5 percent and price of gasoline octane-95 rose by 2 percent, according to the minister. Prices of kerosene and diesel rose by 3 percent, while the price of gas cylinder was unchanged, he said. Late last year, the Jordanian government ended subsidies on fuel derivatives, triggering nationwide protests that led to the injuring and arrest of hundreds of people. Jordan, which imports about 96 percent of its energy consumption, was affected by repeated cuts in natural gas supplies from Egypt, and has to import more expensive heavy fuel for power generation.