XN000022-1975-08-21 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 1975.

FOODSTUFFS WERE CHEAPER LAST MONTH

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FOODSTUFFS COST MUCH LESS LAST MONTH AS THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICE OF RICE AND FRESH VEGETABLES DROPPED BY SIX PER CENT AND 14 PER CENT, RESPECTIVELY.

FRESH FRUIT COST SLIGHTLY MORE, HOWEVER, DUE TO SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS,

THE LOWER PRICES BROUGHT DOWN THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS BY TWO POINTS IN BOTH THE NEW CONSUMER PRICE INDEX *A' WHICH RELATES TO HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN $400 AND $1,499 A MONTH, AND IN THE 'B' INDEX RELATING TO THE $1,500-$2,999 EXPENDITURE GROUP.

OVERALL, THE 'A' CONSUMER PRICE INDEX STOOD AT 107, TWO POINTS LOWER THAN IN JUNE, WHILE THE JULY B INDEX AT 107 WAS ONE POINT LOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

THE INDEX FOR CLOTHING AND THAT FOR FOOTWEAR WERE ALSO DOWN BY TWO POINTS IN BOTH THE 'A' AND 'B' INDICES. TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES IN THE 'A' INDEX FELL BY ONE POINT, WHILE

THE INDEX FOR THE INDEX FOR SERVICES IN THE 'B' INDEX ROSE BY ONE POINT, DUE MAINLY TO HIGHER CHARGES FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT.

MOVEMENTS IN OTHER INDICES FOR OTHER SECTIONS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.

MEANWHILE, THE OLD GENERAL CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR JULY STOOD AT 190, SIX POINTS LOWER THAN THAT FOR THE PREVIOUS MONTH,

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