XN000022-1975-11-20 — Page 9

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1975

FOOD PRICES UP LAST MONTH

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FOODSTUFFS COST MORE LAST MONTH BECAUSE OF UNFAVOURABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE APPROACH OF TYPHOONS, ACCORDING TO THE NEW CONSUMER PRICE INDICES ISSUED TODAY THURSDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

AS A RESULT OF A DROP IN SUPPLY, THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF SALT WATER FISH ADVANCED BY SIX PER CENT WHILE THAT OF FRESH VEGETABLES ROSE BY A SUBSTANTIAL 18 PER CENT. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE AVERAGE PRICE OF FRESH FRUITS DECLINED.

THE INCREASES PUSHED UP THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS BY TWO POINTS IN BOTH THE 'A' AND 'D' NEW CONSUMER PRICE INDICES, WHICH COVER HOUSEHOLDS WITH A MONTHLY EXPENDITURE OF $400 $1,499 AND $1,500 - $2,999, RESPECTIVELY.

OVERALL, THE 'A' INDEX ROSE BY TWO POINTS TO 111, WHILE THE 'B' INDEX STOOD AT 110 ONE POINT HIGHER THAN THAT OF THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

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IN BOTH INDICES, THE INDEX FOR SERVICES ROSE BY THREE POINTS DUE TO AN INCREASE IN SCHOOL FEES AND IN THE PRICES OF TEXTBOOKS.

IN THE 'B' INDEX, A RISE OF ONE POINT WAS RECORDED IN THE INDEX FOR FUEL AND LIGHT WHILE THAT FOR MISCELLANEOUS GOODS FELL BY ONE POINT.

OTHER MOVEMENTS IN THE INDICES WERE INSIGNIFICANT.

BY COMPARISON, THE OLD CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR OCTOBER STOOD AT 200, SIX POINTS HIGHER THAN THAT FOR THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

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