Credit card payments by private consumers during the first four months of 2006 totalled 9.2 percent more than those made during the same period last year, in fixed prices, the Central Bureau of Statistics said Monday. Leading the growth was a 26% rise in payments for municipal and government services, a 17% rise in furniture purchases, and a 15.7% rise in purchases of computers and software. Food and drink purchases were 6.5% higher, while purchases of transportation equipment and services dropped 3.4%.
