MONDAY, APRIL 25, 1983
3
DURING MARCH, RETAIL PRICES OF FRESH VEGETABLES AND CHARGES FOR MEALS IN RESTAURANTS INCREASED. THE RISE IN FRESH VEGETABLE PRICES WAS DUE TO A SHORTFALL IN SUPPLY CAUSED BY PROTRACTED ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS IN HONG KONG AND FLOODING IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE. RETAIL PRICES OF CIGARETTES AND ALCOHOLIC DRINKS ALSO WENT UP REFLECTING THE FULL IMPACT OF THE INCREASES IN THEIR DUTIES EFFECTED IN LATE FEBRUARY.
THE CPI(A) AND CPI(B) ARE BASED ON THE EXPENDITURE PATTERNS OF 50% AND 30%, RESPECTIVELY, OF URBAN HOUSEHOLDS IN HONG KONG, WHICH WERE DERIVED FROM THE 1979/80 HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY. THE CPI(A) REFERRED TO HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN $1 000 AND $3 499 A MONTH AND THE CPI(B) TO HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN
500 AND $6 499 A MONTH AT THAT TIME.
THE INDEXES FOR MARCH 1983 IN RESPECT OF THE NINE COMMODITY/ SERVICE SECTIONS IN THE TWO CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES ARE GIVEN BELOW, TOGETHER WITH THOSE FOR FEBRUARY 1983 AND MARCH 1982.
(OCTOBER 1979 TO SEPTEMBER 1980 AVERAGE - 100)
CPL(A)
MAR 82 FEB 83 MAR 83 MAR 82
SECTION
CPI(B) FEB 83
MAR 83
FOODSTUFFS
130
142
144
130
143
144
HOUSING
121
133
133
121
132
132
FUEL AND LIGHT
137
145
143
138
146
144
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
124
140
190
122
137
182
AND TOBACCO (FOR
HOME CONSUMPTION)
CLOTHING AND
123
133
135
123
133
135
FOOTWEAR
DURABLE GOODS
109
108
109
110
110
111
MISCELLANEOUS
120
130
129
117
130
128
GOODS
TRANSPORT AND
137
147
149
134
148
152
VEHICLES
SERVICES
130
148
146
129
147
144
ALL ITEMS
127
138
140
126
138
139
THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS INCREASED BY TWO POINTS IN CPI(A) AND BY ONE POINT IN CPI(B). THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF FRESH VEGETABLES AND THE AVERAGE CHARGES FOR MEALS IN RESTAURANTS INCREASED. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF FRESH- WATER FISH, LIVE POULTRY AND SALT-WATER FISH DECREASED AS A RESULT OF SLACKENED DEMAND AFTER THE LUNAR NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS. THE EFFECT OF THE MOVEMENTS IN THE RETAIL PRICES OF OTHER FOOD ITEMS ON THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS WAS INSIGNIFICANT.
/THE INDEX
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