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Table 1 Consumer Price Indices and Rates of Increase for August 1995
(Oct. 89 - Sep. 90= 100)
Composite CPI_____
CPI(A)
CPI(8)
Hang Seng CPI
Index
for
% change
Index
* change
Index
* change
Index
change
over
for
over
for
over
for
Component
Aug 95
Aug 94
Aug 95
Aug 94
Aug 95
Aug 94
Aug 95
over Aug 94
Food
156.5
+6.2
156.9
+6.5
157.9
+6.3
156.9
+6.3
Meals bought
163.9
+7.3
163.4
+7.2
163.5
+6.5
163.6
+7.1
away from home
Food, excluding
149.0
+4.9
147.8
+5.6
148.5
+5.9
148.5
+5.3
meals bought
away from home
Housing
187.2
+12.5
192.7
+14.2
199.8
+14.0
193.2
+13.6
Fuel and light.
134.2
+7.7
133.7
+7.8
132.3
+6.3
133.6
+7.4
Alcoholic drinks
199.4
+7.0
188.3
+6.3
182.7
+5.9
193.1
+6.6
and tobacco
Clothing and
146.0
+4.5
149.0
+5.0
160.4
+12.9
152.1
+7.6
footwear
Durable goods
117.3
+4.2
116.5
+4.4
122.6
+5.0
118.5
+4.5
Miscellaneous
142.1
+8.9
137.7
+7.7
135.4
+7.5
138.7
+8.1
goods
Transport
160.3
+7.1
159.4
+7.4
157.6
+6.6
159.2
+7.1
Miscellaneous
174.7
+11.3
168.7
+10.8
156.0
+8.8
166.7
+10.4
services
All items
162.0
+8.3
163.1
+9.0
166.6
+9.8
263.6
+9.0
Monthly consumer price indices are compiled on the basis of (a) expenditure patterns of relevant households and (b) prices collected currently in the month. The expenditure patterns underlying the 1989/90-based consumer price indices are based on those patterns derived from the 1989/90 Household Expenditure Survey. The CPI(A) is based on the expenditure pattern of about 50% of households in Hong Kong, which had an average monthly expenditure of $2,500-$9,999 in 1989/90 (broadly equivalent to $3,900-$16,000 at 1995 prices). The CPI(B) is based on the expenditure pattern of the next 30% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of $10,000-$17,499 in 1989/90 (broadly equivalent to $16,000-$28,500 at 1995 prices). The Hang Seng CPI is based on the expenditure pattern of the next 10% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of $17,500-$37,499 in 1989/90 (broadly equivalent to $28,500-$61,000 at 1995 prices).
Whereas the CPI(A), CPI(B) and Hang Seng CPI are based on the expenditure patterns of groups of households with different magnitudes of household expenditure, the Composite CPI is compiled based on the expenditure pattern of all these households taken together. Thus, while the CPI(A), CPI(B) and Hang Seng CPI show the impact of consumer price changes on different groups of households, the Composite CPI shows the impact of consumer price changes on the household sector generally.
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