SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1981
3
CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES FOR SEPTEMBER 1981
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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY PUBLISHED THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES FOR SEPTEMBER 1981. THE NEW CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (A) AND THE NEW CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (B) FOR SEPTEMBER 1981 WERE 121 AND 120 RESPECTIVELY, EACH BEING THE SAME AS THAT FOR THE PRECEDING MONTH.
DURING SEPTEMBER INCREASES IN COMMODITY PRICES AND SERVICE CHARGES WERE OFFSET TO A LARGE EXTENT BY A REDUCTION IN FOOD PRICES, PARTICULARLY FOR FRESH VEGETABLES.
SINCE THE NEW CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES WERE FIRST INTRODUCED IN OCTOBER 1980, C.P.I.(A) AND C.P.I.(B) HAVE INCREASED IN THE ELEVEN-MONTH PERIOD FROM OCTOBER 1980 TO SEPTEMBER 1981 BY 14.2 PER CENT AND 13,2 PER CENT, GIVING ANNUALISED RATES OF 15.5 PER CENT AND 14.5 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY.
THE NEW C.P.I.(A) AND C.P.I.(B) ARE BASED ON THE EXPENDITURE PATTERNS OF 50 PER CENT AND 30 PER CENT, RESPECTIVELY, OF URBAN HOUSEHOLDS IN HONG KONG, WHICH WERE DERIVED FROM THE 1979/80 HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY. AT THAT TIME, THE NEW C.P.I. (A) REFERRED TO HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN $1 000 AND $3 499 A MONTH AND THE NEW C.P.I.(B) TO HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN $3 500 AND $6 499 A MONTH.
THE INDEXES FOR SEPTEMBER 1981 IN RESPECT OF THE NINE COMMODITY/SERVICE SECTIONS IN THE TWO CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES ARE GIVEN BELOW, TOGETHER WITH THOSE FOR AUGUST 1981.
(AVERAGE DURING THE PERIOD OCTOBER 1979 TO SEPTEMBER 1960 100)
NEW C.P.I.(A)
SECTION
SEPT. 81 AUG. 81
NEW C.P.I.(B)
SEPT. 81 AUG. 81
FOODSTUFFS
125
125
125
125
HOUSING
116
116
116
116
FUEL AND LIGHT
138
137
138
138
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND
TOBACCO (FOR HOME
CONSUMPTION)
117
112
116
112
CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR
114
113
113
112
DURABLE GOODS
108
108
109
109
MISCELLANEOUS GOODS
111
109
112
109
TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES
134
132
130
129
SERVICES
120
117
119
117
ALL ITEMS
121
121
120
120
/BECAUSE OF