5
THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 1981
THUS, ANY MOVEMENTS IN THE AVERAGE RENTAL LEVEL IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ARE ACCURATELY REFLECTED IN THE INDEX. RENTAL MOVEMENTS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS AND WHEN THEY OCCUR ON THE BASIS OF COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED.
TABLE 1 (ATTACHED) GIVES THE NEW INDEXES FOR THE MONTHS OCTOBER 1980 TO MARCH 1981. DETAILS OF PRICE MOVEMENTS IN MARCH 1981 WILL BE GIVEN IN A SEPARATE PRESS RELEASE IN A FEW DAYS' TIME.
IN INTRODUCING THE NEW CPI'S, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EMPHASIZED, HOWEVER, THAT THE EXISTING CPI'S ARE BY NO MEANS INACCURATE.
IN FACT, REBASING THE EXISTING CPI'S FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS IN THE PERIOD FROM OCTOBER 1980 TO SEPTEMBER 1981 DOES NOT SUGGEST ANY SIGNIFICANT BIAS IN THE EXISTING INDEXES, AS INDICATED IN TABLE 2 ATTACHED.
HE ADDED THAT THE WEIGHTS OF THE EXISTING INDEXES ARE NEVERTHELESS OUT OF DATE AND REQUIRE REVISION.
TABLE 1 NEW CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES
(OCT. 1979
-
SEP. 1980 = 100)
CPI(A)
CPI(B)
HANG SENG CPI
1980 OCT.
106
106
107
NOV.
107
107
108
DEC.
108
108
108
1981 JAN.
110
110
109
FEB.
112
112
111
MAR.
113
113
113
TABLE 2: COMPARISON
F