XN000022-1975-05-21 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 1975

16

-

FOODSTUFFS COST LESS LAST MONTH *******

THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF SALT WATER FISH, PORK AND EGGS WERE LOWER LAST MONTH THAN IN MARCH, BUT FRESH WATER FISH COST A BIT MORE, ACCORDING TO THE NEW CONSUMER PRICE INDICES ISSUED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

BOTH THE 'A' AND 'B' INDICES REMAINED STABLE AT 106, THE SAME AS IN MARCH, AND BOTH SHOWED A ONE-POINT DROP IN THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS.

IN THE 'A' INDEX, WHICH IS BASED ON WEIGHTS DERIVED FROM EXPENDITURE OF HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN $400 AND $1,499 A MONTH, AN INCREASE OF ONE POINT WAS RECORDED IN THE INDEX FOR HOUSING AS A RESULT OF AN UPWARD REVISION IN THE RENTS OF SOME HOUSING SOCIETY AND HOUSING AUTHORITY GROUP A ESTATES.

THE INDEX FOR SERVICES ALSO ADVANCED BY ONE POINT, FOLLOWING THE INTRODUCTION OF ENTERTAINMENTS TAX ON ADMISSION CHARGES TO CINEMAS AND HIGHER POSTAGE RATES FOR CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF LETTER MAIL.

IN THE 'D' INDEX, WHICH IS BASED ON WEIGHTS DERIVED FROM EXPENDITURE OF HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN $1,500 AND $2,999 A MONTH, INCREASES OF ONE POINT EACH WERE RECORDED IN THE INDEX FOR FUEL AND LIGHT AND THE INDEX FOR ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO.

MOVEMENTS IN THE INDICES FOR OTHER SECTIONS OF COMMODITY WERE INSIGNIFICANT.

184.

THE OLD GENERAL CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR APRIL REMAINED AT

/17 .....