CHAPTER 6: PRICES
Introduction
6.1
Consumer prices, as indicated by the various
consumer price indexes (1) recorded a year-on-year rate of
increase of about 9% on average in the first quarter, roughly the same as in the fourth quarter of 1982. This represents a slowing down when compared with the average rate of increase
of about 11% in 1982.
6.2
Domestic
influences
on prices were
demand was not sufficiently
rather
favourable, because consumer
strong as to result in the demand for domestic resources
getting out-of-line with supply. Coupled with the continued
(1)
/easing
There are three consumer price indexes: Consumer Price Indexes (A) and (B), and the Hang Seng Consumer Price Index. The characteristics of the three indexes are as follows:
Approximate proportion of urban households
covered
Monthly expenditure
range in 1979/80
(*)
($)
CPI (A)
50
1,000 to 3,499
CPI (B)
30
3,500 to 6,499
Hang Seng CPI
10
6,500 to 19,999
37