XN000022-1981-10-25 — Page 5

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1981

BECAUSE OF ROUNDING, THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS REMAINED UNCHANGED IN THE NEW C.P.I.(A) AND C.P.I.(B). WITHIN FOODSTUFFS, HOWEVER, THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF FRESH VEGETABLES FELL SUBSTANTIALLY. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF SALT-WATER FISH, FRESH FRUIT, AND BREAD, CAKES AND BISCUITS INCREASED. THE AVERAGE PRICES OF MEALS BOUGHT IN RESTAURANTS ALSO WENT UP. THE EFFECTS OF MOVEMENTS IN THE RETAIL PRICES OF OTHER FOOD ITEMS ON THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.

HIGHER PRICES FOR CIGARETTES CAUSED THE INDEX FOR ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO (FOR HOME CONSUMPTION) TO INCREASE BY FIVE POINTS IN THE NEW C.P.I.(A) AND BY FOUR POINTS IN THE NEW C.P.I.(B).

THE INDEX FOR MISCELLANEOUS GOODS INCREASED BY TWO POINTS IN THE NEW C.P.I.(A) AND THREE POINTS IN THE NEW C.P.1.(3) AS A RESULT OF HIGHER PRICES FOR JEWELLERY, TOYS AND HOBBIES.

FOLLOWING INCREASES IN PUBLIC LIGHT BUS FARES, SCHOOL BUS FARES AND CHARGES FOR MONTHLY STUDENT TICKETS FOR TRAIN SERVICE, THE INDEX FOR TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES INCREASED BY TWO POINTS IN THE NEW C.P. I. (A) AND BY ONE POINT IN THE NEW C.P.I.(B).

ON ACCOUNT OF HIGHER CHARGES FOR TELEPHONE SERVICES, PACKAGE TOURS, MEDICAL TREATMENT, HAIRDRESSING, BOWLING GAMES AND ADMISSION FEES TO FOOTBALL MATCHES, THE INDEX FOR SERVICES INCREASED BY THREE POINTS IN THE NEW C.P.I.(A) AND BY TWO POINTS IN THE NEW C.P.I.(B).

PRICE MOVEMENTS IN OTHER SECTIONS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.

DETAILS OF THESE PRICE MOVEMENTS ARE GIVEN IN THE +CONSUMER PRICE INDEX REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 1981, WHICH IS NOW AVAILABLE ON SALE AT $2 PER COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, GROUND FLOOR, CONNAUGHT PLACE, HONG KONG.

PROV IS IONAL TRADE FIGURES FOR SEPTEMBER 1981

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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY PUBLISHED THE PROVISIONAL TRADE FIGURES FOR HONG KONG'S VISIBLE TRADE IN SEPTEMBER 1981, THE VALUE OF TOTAL EXPORTS FOR SEPTEMBER WAS $11 495 MILLION, MADE UP OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS AT $7 659 MILLION AND RE-EXPORTS AT $3 836 MILLION.

WITH IMPORTS AT $11 710 MILLION, THE VISIBLE TRADE DEFICIT FOR SEPTEMBER WAS $215 MILLION.

COMPARED WITH SEPTEMBER 1980, THERE WERE THE FOLLOWING INCREASES BY VALUE: $1 679 MILLION OR 28.1 PER CENT FOR DOMESTIC EXPORTS, $1 054 MILLION OR 37.9 PER CENT FOR RE-EXPORTS, $2 733 MILLION OR 31.2 PER CENT FOR TOTAL EXPORTS AND $2 321 MILLION OR 24.7 PER CENT FOR IMPORTS. THE VISIBLE TRADE +GAP+, THAT IS THE PROPORTION OF THE VALUE OF IMPORTS NOT COVERED BY THE VALUE OF TOTAL EXPORTS, WAS 1.8 PER CENT IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, COMPARED WITH 6.7 PER CENT IN SEPTEMBER 1980.

THE FIGUNES