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MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 1983
COMPARED WITH JUNE 1983, THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS DECREASED
THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF FRESH BY ONE POINT IN CPI(A).
VEGETABLES DECLINED AS A RESULT OF ABUNDANT SUPPLY DURING THE MONTH. THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF LIVE POULTRY WENT DOWN DUE TO LOWER PRICES OF CHICKENS, AS PEOPLE WERE STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE CARCINOGENIC EFFECT OF HORMONE RESIDUES IN THE MEAT OF CHICKENS IMPLANTED WITH GROWTH STIMULANTS.
REDUCTIONS WERE ALSO RECORDED IN THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF FRESH FRUITS, SUCH AS WATER MELONS, LYCHEE AND HONEYDEW MELONS. THE EFFECT OF MOVEMENTS IN THE RETAIL PRICES OF OTHER FOOD ITEMS ON THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS WAS INSIGNIFICANT.
THE INDEX FOR HOUSING INCREASED BY THREE POINTS IN CPI(A) AND BY TWO POINTS IN CPI(B) OWING TO INCREASED RENTS AND RATES FOR PRIVATE DWELLINGS AND HIGHER WATER CHARGES AS MORE HOUSEHOLDS WERE AFFECTED BY THE NEW RATES OF WATER CHARGES INTRODUCED IN APRIL.
THE INDEX FOR ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO (FOR HOME CONSUMPTION) DECREASED BY ONE POINT IN CPI(A) AND BY TWO POINTS IN CPI(B) AS THE PRICES OF SOME BRANDS OF CIGARETTES WERE LOWERED.
THE INDEX FOR CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR DECREASED BY ONE POINT IN BOTH CPI(A) AND CPI(B) DUE TO LOWER PRICES OF MEN'S AND WOMEN'S OUTERCLOTHING.
HIGHER PRICES OF TELEVISION SETS, SOUND EQUIPMENT, RECORDS AND TAPES, AND ELECTRICAL CONSUMER DURABLES CAUSED THE INDEX FOR DURABLE GOODS TO INCREASE BY ONE POINT IN BOTH CPI(A) AND CPI(B).
THE ONE POINT INCREASE IN THE INDEX FOR TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES IN BOTH CPI(A) AND CPI(B) WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO HIGHER TRAM AND TRAIN FARES AND HIGHER PRICES OF MOTOR VEHICLES.
THE INDEX FOR SERVICES WENT UP BY THREE POINTS IN BOTH CPI(A) AND CPI(B) DUE TO HIGHER ADMISSION CHARGES FOR CINEMA ENTERTAINMENT AND HIGHER CHARGES FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT AND PACKAGE TOURS.
PRICE MOVEMENTS IN THE OTHER SECTIONS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.
DETAILS OF THESE PRICE MOVEMENTS ARE GIVEN IN THE +CONSUMER PRICE INDEX REPORT+ FOR JULY 1983. BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE VERSIONS OF THIS REPORT ARE AVAILABLE AT $3 PER COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, GROUND FLOOR, CONNAUGHT PLACE, HONG KONG. FOR ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES, PLEASE CONTACT THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT AT TELEPHONE NO. 3-7216512.
(FIGURES PRESENTED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REFER TO CPI SERIES NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED)
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