THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 1981
3
WEIGHTS FOR THE MAJOR SECTIONS OF THE EXISTING AND THE NEW CPI'S ARE COMPARED BELOW
1979/80
1979/80 HANG SENG
SECTION CPI(A)
CPI(B)
1979/80
CPI
1973/74
1973/74
CPI(A)
1973/74 CPI(B)
1973/74 HANG SENG
CPI
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
(%)
FOODSTUFFS
46.39
38.59
26.21
56.60
47.82
26.27
HOUSING
15.05
17.77
27.20
14.08
16.79
28.14
FUEL AND
3.63
2.71
1.85
3.39
2.71
2.53
LIGHT
ALCOHOL IC
2.67
1.90
1.07
2.65
2.04
0.73
DRINKS
AND
TOBACCO
(FOR HOME
CONSUMPTION
CLOTHING
5.02
7.03
7.50
3.82
5.92
6.11
AND
FOOTWEAR
DURABLE
6.71
7.53
6.88
1.41
2.97
3.88
GOODS
MISCELLANEOUS 5.68
6.07
6.59
4.58
5.17
4.36
GOODS
TRANSPORT AND 5.27
6.09
9.13
4.36
5.11
7.47
VEHICLES
SERVICES
9.58
12.31
13.57
9.11
11.47
20.51
ALL ITEMS 100.00 100.00
100.00
100.00
100.00 100.00
TWO POINTS MUST BE BORNE IN MIND WHEN COMPARING THE OLD AND NEW WE IGHTS.
FIRST, SINCE ALL WEIGHTS MUST ADD TO 100 PER CENT, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ALL SECTION WEIGHTS TO INCREASE ALTHOUGH ABSOLUTE EXPENDITURE ON ALL SECTIONS HAS INCREASED. HOWEVER, IF OUTLAY ON A CERTAIN SECTION INCREASES AT A FASTER RATE THAN THE OVERALL RATE OF INCREASE IN HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE, THEN ITS SHARE IN THE AVERAGE MONTHLY HOUSEHOLD BUDGET WILL INCREASE, AND VICE VERSA.
SECOND, DIFFERENCES IN COVERAGE BETWEEN THE 1973/74 HES AND THE 1979/80 HES MAY AFFECT THEIR COMPARABILITY.
IN BOTH CPI(A) AND CPI(B), THE MOST NOTABLE CHANGE IN WEIGHTS WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN THE WEIGHT FOR THE FOODSTUFFS SECTION DESPITE A DRAMATIC RISE IN THE SHARE OF MEALS BOUGHT AWAY FROM HOME. THE WEIGHT FOR THE DURABLE GOODS SECTION ALSO
INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY.
/IN THE