In most of the countries, household income included the imputed rental value of owner-occupied dwellings. These figu res largely reflect the impact of the upsurge in inflation since early 2007 and, in particular, the steep rise in food prices. The international financial crisis which began in the United States has started to affect the real economy, causing a slowdown and even a fall in the level of economic activity in the industrialized world. One of the repercussions has been a slump in the demand for commodities and their prices.