MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 1982
JULY CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES UP ONE POINT
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THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (A) AND CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (B) FOR JULY WERE BOTH 131, EACH BEING ONE POINT OR 0.8 PER CENT HIGHER THAN IN THE PRECEDING MONTH, ACCORDING TO FIGURES PUBLISHED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
COMPARED WITH THE SAME MONTH OF THE PRECEDING YEAR, C.P.I.(A) INCREASED BY 12 POINTS OR 10.1 PER CENT AND C.P. I. (B) BY 13 POINTS OR 11 PER CENT,
DURING THE MONTH, FOOD PRICES ESPECIALLY THOSE OF SALT-WATER FISH AND CHARGES FOR RESTAURANT MEALS ROSE, AND SO DID RENTS FOR PRIVATE DWELLINGS.
THE C.P.!.(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 C.P.I.(A) REFERRED TO HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN $1 000 AND $3 499 A MONTH AND THE C.P. I. (B) TO HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN $3 500 AND $6 499 A MONTH.
THE INDEXES FOR JULY 1982 IN RESPECT OF THE NINE COMMODITY/SERVICE SECTIONS IN THE TWO CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES ARE GIVEN BELOW, TOGETHER WITH THOSE FOR JUNE 1982 AND JULY 1981.
(OCTOBER 1979 TO SEPTEMBER 1980 AVERAGE
-
100)
C.P.I.(A)
C.P.I.(B)
SECTION
JULY 81 JUNE 82 JULY 82
JULY 81
JUNE 82 JULY 82
FOODSTUFFS
122
135
136
122
135
136
HOUSING
116
124
126
116
124
126
FUEL AND LIGHT
136
133
134
138
134
135
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND
TOBACCO (FOR HOME
CONSUMPTION)
112
124
124
112
123
123
CLOTHING AND
FOOTWEAR
115
132
132
115
132
132
DURABLE GOODS
108
108
108
109
110
110
MISCELLANEOUS
GOODS
109
121
121
108
117
118
TRANSPORT AND
VEHICLES
130
140
140
127
141
141
SERVICES
116
134
134
116
133
133
ALL ITEMS
119
130
131
118
130
131
THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS INCREASED BY ONE POINT IN BOTH C.P.I.(A) AND C.P.I.(B). RISES WERE RECORDED IN THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF SALT-WATER FISH AND IN THE AVERAGE CHARGES FOR RESTAURANT MEALS. THE EFFECT OF THE MOVEMENTS IN THE RETAIL PRICES OF OTHER FOOD ITEMS ON THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS WAS INSIGNIFICANT.
THE INDEX FOR HOUSING INCREASED BY TWO POINTS IN BOTH C.P.I.(A) AND C.P.1.(B) AS A RESULT OF HIGHER RENTS FOR PRIVATE DWELLINGS.
PRICE MOVEMENTS IN OTHER SECTIONS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.
DETAILS OF THESE PRICE MOVEMENTS ARE GIVEN IN THE +CONSUMER PRICE INDEX REPORT+ FOR JULY 1982, WHICH IS NOW AVAILABLE AT $3 PER COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, GROUND FLOOR, CONNAUGHT PLACE, HONG KONG.
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