FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1980
CHANGES IN THE COMPONENTS OF THE TWO INDICES FOR OCTOBER, COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND WITH THE CORRESPONDING MONTH IN 1979, ARE:
CPI(A)
CPI(B)
COMPONENT
OCT 80 SEPT 80 OCT 79
OCT 80 SEPT 80 OCT 79
FOODSTUFFS
158
161
142
161
163
144
HOUSING
154
154
146
154
154
146
FUEL AND LIGHT
270
268
199
255
253
194
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND
TOBACCO
184
184
167
178
178
162
CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR
123
122
112
122
121
110
DURABLE GOODS
136
136
130
132
131
127
MISCELLANEOUS GOODS
172
171
148
170
170
147
TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES 205
201
159
206
202
165
SERVICES
180
170
155
184
175
158
ALL ITEMS
165
165
146
165
164
146
THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS DECREASED BY THREE POINTS IN CPI (A) AND BY TWO POINTS IN CPI (B). PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT WERE DECREASES IN THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF FRESH VEGETABLES, SALT- WATER FISH, LIVE POULTRY AND FRESH-WATER FISH. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE COST OF MEALS BOUGHT IN RESTAURANTS WENT UP. EFFECTS OF THE MOVEMENTS IN THE RETAIL PRICES OF OTHER FOOD ITEMS ON THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.
ON ACCOUNT OF HIGHER COST OF FUEL OIL, ELECTRICITY RATES FOR OCTOBER WERE INCREASED AND CONSEQUENTLY THE INDEX FOR FUEL AND LIGHT INCREASED BY TWO POINTS IN BOTH CONSUMER PRICE INDICES.
THE INDEX FOR CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR INCREASED BY ONE POINT EACH IN THE TWO INDICES DUE TO HIGHER PRICES FOR MEN'S UNDERCLOTHING ITEMS AND HIGHER TAILORING CHARGES.
THE INDEX FOR DURABLE GOODS INCREASED BY ONE POINT IN CPI (B) BECAUSE OF HIGHER PRICES FOR OPTICAL GOODS.
THE ONE-POINT INCREASE IN THE INDEX FOR MISCELLANEOUS GOODS IN CPI (A) WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO HIGHER PRICES FOR MEDICINES, BOOKS, PERIODICALS, SOAP AND DETERGENTS.
THE INDEX FOR TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES INCREASED BY FOUR POINTS IN BOTH CPI (A) AND CPI (B) AS A RESULT OF THE UPWARD REVISIONS IN TAXI FARES AND IN THE FARES OF SOME PUBLIC LIGHT BUS ROUTES.
THE INDEX FOR SERVICES INCREASED BY 10 POINTS IN CPI (A) AND BY NINE POINTS IN CPI (B), FOLLOWING THE INCLUSION OF THE UPWARD REVISIONS IN BOTH SCHOOL FEES AND TEXT-BOOK PRICES FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR OF 1980/81, AND HIGHER CHARGES FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT.
PRICE MOVEMENTS IN OTHER COMMODITY SECTIONS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.
DETAILS OF THESE PRICE MOVEMENTS ARE GIVEN IN THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX REPORT+ FOR OCTOBER 1980, WHICH IS NOW AVAILABLE AT $2 A COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GPO BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE.
19 .....