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Tuesday, November 21, 1972
SLIGHT, DROP IN CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
A drop of three points was recorded in the General Consumer Price
Index during October and at the end of the month the index stood at 140.
This was mainly brought about by a drop of eight points in the index
for food.
On the other hand, there was an increase of four points in the
index for services and rises of one point each in the index for clothing and
footwear and the index for miscellaneous goods.
Changes in the other sections of commodity were described by the
Census and Statistics Department as "insignificant".
The spokesman said that compared with September, there was a significant
drop in the average retail price of fresh vegetables, generally as a result
of an increase in supplies locally and from China.
Lower average prices were also recorded for poultry, fresh water fish
and fresh fruit. However, retail prices for rice and salt water fish rose.
For non-food items, increases were recorded in fees charged by private
schools and prices of text books, which caused the index for "education, including
the purchase of text books" to move upwards.
The Modified Consumer Price Index for October was 144 four points
lower than September's figure and nine points higher than that for the corresponding
month last year.
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