12
(Oct. 89 - Sep. 90
CPI(A)
CPI (B)
Table 1 Consumer Price Indices and Rates of Increase for February 1996
Composite CPI
100)
Hang Seng CPI
Index for
% change
Component
Feb 95
Over Feb 95
Index
for Feb 96
* change
Index
* change
Index
%% change
over
for
Feb 95
Feb 96
over Feb 95
for
Feb 96
over Feb 95
Food
157.0
+5.1
158.6
+5.0
159.6
+4.4
158.1
+4.9
Meals bought
166.1
+4.0
165.5
+4.1
165.0
+3.2
165.6
+3.9
away from home
Food, excluding
148.0
+6.3
149.0
+6.6
150.4
+6.5
148.8
+6.4
meals bought
away from home
Housing
196.0
+10.4
202.6
+11.4
210.8
+13.9
203.2
+11.9
Fuel and light
137.2
+4.6
136.6
+4.5
134.9
+3.7
136.6
+4.4
Alcoholic drinks
200.6
+5.7
189.4
+5.3
183.2
+4.8
194.2
+5.4
and tobacco
Clothing and
152.0
+8.6
154.6
+9.4
161.1
+6.5
156.1
+8.2
footwear
Durable goods
117.5
+2.4
116.6
+2.0
123.5
+3.4
118.9
+2.5
Miscellaneous
132.1
-5.1
133.4
-1.0
135.1
+2.1
133.3
-1.8
goods
Transport
163.8
+6.7
163.4
+6.6
161.9
+5.7
163.1
+6.4
Miscellaneous
189.5
+10.5
181.3
+9.6
164.4
+7.4
178.7
+9.3
services
All items
165.6
+6.6
168.0
+7.3
171.9
+8.2
168.1
+7.3
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 bad 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.