TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1980
CONSUMER PRICE INDICES RISE TWO POINTS
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THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (A) AND THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (B) FOR NOVEMBER 1980 WERE BOTH 167, EACH TWO POINTS (OR 1.2 PER CENT) HIGHER THAN THAT FOR THE PREVIOUS MONTH.
WHEN COMPARED WITH THE CORRESPONDING MONTH IN 1979, CPI(A) INCREASED BY 22 POINTS (OR 15.2 PER CENT) AND CPI(B) BY 21 POINTS (OR 14.4 PER CENT).
CPI(A) IS BASED ON WEIGHTS DERIVED FROM THE EXPENDITURE PATTERN OF HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN $400 AND $1 499 A MONTH AND CPI(B) FROM THOSE SPENDING BETWEEN $1 500 AND $2 999 A MONTH, AS DETERMINED FROM THE HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY OF 1973/74.
CHANGES IN THE COMPONENTS OF THE TWO INDICES FOR NOVEMBER 1980, COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND WITH THE CORRESPONDING MONTH IN 1979, ARE:
CPI(A)
CPI(B)
COMPONENT
NOV 80 OCT 80 NOV 79 NOV 80 OCT 80 NOV 79
FOODSTUFFS
160 158 139
162
161
141
HOUSING
157
154
146
157
154
146
FUEL AND LIGHT
272
270 198
258
255
193
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
AND TOBACCO
184
184 168
178
178
162
CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR
127
123 117
126
122 115
DURABLE GOODS
137 136 130
132
132 127
MISCELLANEOUS GOODS
173 172 162
171
170 157
TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES
211 205
163
214
206 169
SERVICES
ALL ITEMS
180 180 156 167 165 145
186
184 159
167
165 146
THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS INCREASED BY TWO POINTS IN CPI(A) AND BY ONE POINT IN CPI(B). PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT WERE THE INCREASES IN THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF FRESH FRUITS, RICE AND EGGS, THE COST OF MEALS BOUGHT IN RESTAURANTS ALSO WENT UP. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF LIVE POULTRY AND FRESH VEGETABLES DECREASED. EFFECTS OF THE MOVEMENETS IN THE RETAIL PRICES OF OTHER FOOD ITEMS ON THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.
THE INDEX FOR HOUSING INCREASED BY THREE POINTS IN BOTH CONSUMER PRICE INDICES AS HIGHER RENT WAS REGISTERED IN PRIVATE DWELLINGS AND IN SOME HOUSING AUTHORITY GROUP A ESTATES.
ON ACCOUNT OF HIGHER COST OF FUEL OIL, ELECTRICITY RATES FOR NOVEMBER WERE INCREASED AND CONSEQUENTLY THE INDEX FOR FUEL AND LIGHT INCREASED BY TWO POINTS IN CPI(A) AND BY THREE POINTS IN CPI(B).
/THE FOUR-POINT