... 2) Consumer Prices (Japan): General Index and Percentage change over the Year Source: Statistics bureau (Fig 3) Retail sale volume/ %change over last year Producer prices/%change over last year Stock market/market indices % change on last year in $ terms UK +4.6 -0.2 -17.9 Germany -2.2 -0.2 -33.3 US +6.1 +1.4 -15.9 Japan -1.3 -0.3 -11.4 Source: The Economist As it can be seen from (Fig 1), the consumer price index for US has been steadily declining from 1992 to 2002, with a few minor exceptions. This juxtaposed with the data from (Fig 2) highlights the fact that since 1999 the consumer price index for Japan has seen a steady and constant decline for three years in a row, thereby indicating a general decline in global consumer prices. This has mainly arisen from a reduction in electricity and gas rates accompanied by a price fall in industrial products. Where as throughout 2000 and 2001, the price fall was largely attributed to a reduction in prices of fresh foods and durable goods. The data ...

See this essay or coursework document in full right now