XN000022-1980-12-30 — Page 5

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1980

CONSUMER PRICE INDICES RISE TWO POINTS

*****

THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (A) AND THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (B) FOR NOVEMBER 1980 WERE BOTH 167, EACH TWO POINTS (OR 1.2 PER CENT) HIGHER THAN THAT FOR THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

WHEN COMPARED WITH THE CORRESPONDING MONTH IN 1979, CPI(A) INCREASED BY 22 POINTS (OR 15.2 PER CENT) AND CPI(B) BY 21 POINTS (OR 14.4 PER CENT).

CPI(A) IS BASED ON WEIGHTS DERIVED FROM THE EXPENDITURE PATTERN OF HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN $400 AND $1 499 A MONTH AND CPI(B) FROM THOSE SPENDING BETWEEN $1 500 AND $2 999 A MONTH, AS DETERMINED FROM THE HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY OF 1973/74.

CHANGES IN THE COMPONENTS OF THE TWO INDICES FOR NOVEMBER 1980, COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND WITH THE CORRESPONDING MONTH IN 1979, ARE:

CPI(A)

CPI(B)

COMPONENT

NOV 80 OCT 80 NOV 79 NOV 80 OCT 80 NOV 79

FOODSTUFFS

160 158 139

162

161

141

HOUSING

157

154

146

157

154

146

FUEL AND LIGHT

272

270 198

258

255

193

ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

AND TOBACCO

184

184 168

178

178

162

CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR

127

123 117

126

122 115

DURABLE GOODS

137 136 130

132

132 127

MISCELLANEOUS GOODS

173 172 162

171

170 157

TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES

211 205

163

214

206 169

SERVICES

ALL ITEMS

180 180 156 167 165 145

186

184 159

167

165 146

THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS INCREASED BY TWO POINTS IN CPI(A) AND BY ONE POINT IN CPI(B). PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT WERE THE INCREASES IN THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF FRESH FRUITS, RICE AND EGGS, THE COST OF MEALS BOUGHT IN RESTAURANTS ALSO WENT UP. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF LIVE POULTRY AND FRESH VEGETABLES DECREASED. EFFECTS OF THE MOVEMENETS IN THE RETAIL PRICES OF OTHER FOOD ITEMS ON THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.

THE INDEX FOR HOUSING INCREASED BY THREE POINTS IN BOTH CONSUMER PRICE INDICES AS HIGHER RENT WAS REGISTERED IN PRIVATE DWELLINGS AND IN SOME HOUSING AUTHORITY GROUP A ESTATES.

ON ACCOUNT OF HIGHER COST OF FUEL OIL, ELECTRICITY RATES FOR NOVEMBER WERE INCREASED AND CONSEQUENTLY THE INDEX FOR FUEL AND LIGHT INCREASED BY TWO POINTS IN CPI(A) AND BY THREE POINTS IN CPI(B).

/THE FOUR-POINT