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26
Table 1 Consumer Price Indices and Rates of Increase for April 1996
(Oct. 89 - Sep. 90= 100)
CPI(A)
CPI(B)
Hang Seng CPI
Composite CPI
Index for
change Index
% change
Index
* change
Index
* change
over
for
over
for
over
for
Component
Apr 96
Apr 95
Apr 96
Apr 95
Apr 96
Apr 95
Apr 96
over Apr 95
Food
159.4
+6.4
160.5
+5.8
160.9
+4.1
160.1
+5.7
Meals bought
168.2
+4.4
167.3
+4.2
165.9
+2.2
167.3
+3.8
away from home
Food, excluding
150.8
+8.7
151.1
+8.4
152.4
+7.9
151.2
+8.5
meals bought
away from home
Housing
199.0
+10.0
205.9
+11.3
214.4
+12.7
206.5
+11.4
Fuel and light
140.7
+4.4
140.2
+4.3
138.5
+4.2
140.1
+4.3
Alcoholic drinks
206.8
+4.6
195.2
+4.6
189.3
+4.1
200.2
+4.5
and tobacco
Clothing and
165.2
+8.0
169.5
+8.6
171.4
+6.3
169.0
+7.6
footwear
Durable goods
118.2
+1.2
118.4
+1.3
125.7
+4.5
120.5
+2.2
Miscellaneous
137.6
-2.5
136.8
+0.1
137.5
+1.9
137.2
-0.4
goods
Transport
+6.7
Miscellaneous
166.3
165.6
+6.6
163.9
165.4
+6.5
188.6
+9.6
180.2
+8.9
164.7
+7.2
178.1
+8.6
+6.2
services
All items
168.5
+6.9
171.1
+7.4
174.8
+7.7
171.1
+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 (equivalent to $4.000-815.999 in 1994/95). 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 (equivalent to $16,000-$29,999 in 1994/95). 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 (equivalent to $30,000-$59,999 in 1994/95).
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.