MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1980
PRICE INDICES UP ONE POINT
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THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (A) AND THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (B) FOR AUGUST WERE 164 AND 163 RESPECTIVELY, EACH BEING ONE POINT HIGHER THAN THAT FOR THE PREVIOUS MONTH."
THE CPI (A) IS BASED ON WEIGHTS DERIVED FROM THE EXPENDITURE PATTERN OF HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN $400 AND $1 499 A MONTH AND THE CPI (B) FROM THOSE SPENDING BETWEEN $1 500 AND $2 999 A MONTH, AS DETERMINED FROM THE HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY OF 1973/74.
THE CHANGES FOR AUGUST IN RESPECT OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE TWO INDICES, COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND WITH THE CORRESPONDING MONTH IN 1979 ARE AS FOLLOWS:
CPI (A)
CPI (B)
COMPONENT
AUG BO JULY 80 AUG 79 AUG 80 JULY 80
AUG 79
FOODSTUFFS
158
157
141
160
159
142
HOUSING
154
154
144
154
154
143
FUEL AND LIGHT
269
268
191
254
253
184
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
AND TOBACCO
184
184
161
177
177
156
CLOTHING AND
FOOTWEAR
121
121
111
119
119
109
DURABLE GOODS
135
135
128
131
131
125
MISCELLANEOUS GOODS 171
170
146
169
168
145
TRANSPORT AND
VEHICLES
198
197
152
199
197
160
SERVICES
169
168
148
173
172
151
ALL ITEMS
164
163 144
163
162
143
THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS INCREASED BY ONE POINT EACH IN CPI (A) AND CPI (B). PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT WERE THE INCREASES IN THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF FRESH VEGETABLES AND BEEF. THE COST OF MEALS BOUGHT IN RESTAURANTS ALSO WENT UP. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF SALT-WATER FISH AND FRESH-WATER FISH DECLINED. EFFECTS OF THE MOVEMENTS IN THE RETAIL PRICES OF OTHER FOOD ITEMS ON THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.
THE INDEX FOR FUEL AND LIGHT INCREASED BY ONE POINT IN BOTH CONSUMER PRICE INDICES, REFLECTING THE FULL IMPACT OF THE INCREASES IN THE PRICES OF KEROSENE AND LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS SINCE JULY. THE EFFECT OF THESE INCREASES WAS PARTLY OFFSET BY THE LOWER CHARGES FOR ELECTRICITY.
THE ONE-POINT