Table 1 Consumer Price Indices and Rates of Increase for January 1996
(Oct. 89 Sep. 90
100)
CPI(A)
CPI (B)
Hang Seng CPI
Composite CPI
Index for
* change
over
Component
Jan 96
Jan 95
Index
for Jan 96
% change
Index
% change
Index
* change
over
for
over
for
Jan 95
Jan 96
Jan 95
Jan 96
over Jan 95
Food
153.0
+3.8
155.5
+4.4
157.3
+3.7
154.8
+4.0
'Meals bought
165.8
+5.9
165.2
+5.7
164.8
+4.0
165.3
+5.4
away from hone
Food, excluding
140.4
+1.5
142.1
+2.5
144.3
+3.0
141.7
+2.1
-meals bought
away from home
Housing
194.5
+10.6
200.2
+11.0
209.6
+14.0
201.4
+11.8
Fuel and light
137.4
Alcoholic drinks
201.3
+6.8
+6.4
136.8
+6.6
135.1
+5.2
136.8
+6.5
190.6
+6.9
184.8
+7.4
195.2
+6.7
and tobacco
Clothing and
154.9
+10.0
158.3
+11.4
165.1
+8.7
159.7
+10.1
footwear
Durable goods
118.0
+3.5
117.3
+3.3
124.0
+1.4
119.5
+3.7
Miscellaneous
129.4
-6.8
130.5
-2.8
131.7
-0.2
130.4
-3.6
goods
Transport
161.7
+5.9
160.9
+5.7
159.3
+5.2
160.7
+5.7
Miscellaneous
186.8
+8.7
178.3
+7.5
162.3
+5.4
176.1
+7.3
services
All items
163.2
+5.9
166.0
+6.8
170.7
+7.9
166.2
+6.8
Monthly consumer price indices are compiled on the basis of (a) expenditure pattems 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 pattem 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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