TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1980
1
CONSUMER PRICE INDICES FOR NOVEMBER
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THE CONSUMER PRICE INDICES (A) AND (B) FOR NOVEMBER WERE 145 AND 146 RESPECTIVELY WITH CPI(A) DOWN BY ONE POINT AND CPI(B) UNCHANGED COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH.
THE CENTRED 12-MONTH MOVING AVERAGE FOR MAY 1979, THAT IS, THE SIMPLE AVERAGE OF THE TWO MOVING ANNUAL AVERAGES ENDING OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 1979 RESPECTIVELY, WAS 136.8 FOR CPI(A) AND 136.9 FOR CPI(B), EACH BEING 1.1 PER CENT HIGHER THAN THAT FOR THE PREVIOUS MONTH, WHEN COMPARED WITH THE CENTRED 12-MONTH MOVING AVERAGE FOR MAY A YEAR AGO, THE INCREASES WERE RESPECTIVELY 10.8 PER CENT AND 10.6 PER CENT.
THE CPI(A) IS BASED ON WEIGHTS DERIVED FROM HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE BETWEEN $400-$1 499 A MONTH AND THE CPI(B), BETWEEN $1_500-$2999 A MONTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY, 1973/74.
THE SECTION INDICES FOR NOVEMBER 1979, COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND THE CORRESPONDING MONTH IN 1978, ARE AS FOLLOWS:
CPI(A)
CP1(B)
SECTION
NOV.79 OCT.79
NOV.78
NOV.79 OCT.79
NOV.78
FOODSTUFFS
139
142
124
141
144
124
HOUSING
146
146
132
146
146
132
FUEL AND LIGHT
198
199
134
193
194
133
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
AND TOBACCO
168
167
147
162
162
142
CLOTHING AND
FOOTWEAR
117
112
107
115
110
106
DURABLE GOODS
130
130
118
127
127
116
MISCELLANEOUS GOODS
162
148
137
157
147
134
TRANSPORT AND
VEHICLES
163
159
128
169
165
130
SERVICES
156
155
139
159
158
140
ALL ITEMS
145
146
127
146
146
127
THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS DECLINED BY THREE POINTS IN BOTH CPI(A) AND CPI(B). REDUCTIONS WERE RECORDED IN THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF FRESH VEGETABLES, FRESH FRUITS, LIVE POULTRY AND SALT-WATER FISH.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF PORK AND RICE ADVANCED: THE COST OF MEALS BOUGHT AWAY FROM HOME ALSO WENT UP AS SOME RESTAURANTS AND EATING-PLACES RAISED THEIR PRICES. MOVEMENTS IN THE RETAIL PRICES OF OTHER FOOD ITEMS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.
/DUE TO