XN000022-1983-04-25 — Page 5

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 1983

THE INDEX FOR FUEL AND LIGHT DECREASED BY TWO POINTS IN BOTH CPI(A) AND CP (B) BECAUSE OF LOWER PRICES OF KEROSENE AS WELL AS LOWER CHARGES FOR ELECTRICITY CAUSED BY REDUCED FUEL COSTS.

THE INDEX FOR ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO (FOR HOME CONSUMPTION) INCREASED BY 50 POINTS IN CPI(A) AND BY 45 POINTS IN CPI(B), REFLECTING THE FULL IMPACT OF THE INCREASES IN THE DUTIES ON TOBACCO AND ALCOHOLIC DRINKS EFFECTED IN LATE FEBRUARY.

THE TWO-POINT INCREASE IN THE INDEX FOR CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR IN BOTH CP1(A) AND CPI(B) WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO HIGHER PRICES OF OUTERCLOTHING.

HIGHER PRICES OF ELECTRICAL CONSUMER GOODS, TELEVISION SETS AND SOUND EQUIPMENT CAUSED THE INDEX FOR DURABLE GOODS TO RISE BY ONE POINT IN BOTH CPI(A) AND CPI(B).

THE INDEX FOR MISCELLANEOUS GOODS DECREASED BY ONE POINT IN CPI(A) AND BY TWO POINTS IN CPI(B) FOLLOWING LOWER PRICES OF JEWELLERY.

THE INDEX FOR TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES WENT UP BY TWO POINTS IN CPI(A) AND BY FOUR POINTS IN CPI(B) AS A RESULT OF HIGHER DRIVING INSTRUCTION FEES, INCREASED FERRY FARES AND THE FULL IMPACT OF HIGHER PRICES OF GASOLINE AND INCREASED FEES FOR DRIVING AND VEHICLE LICENCES.

THE INDEX FOR SERVICES DECREASED BY TWO POINTS IN CPI(A) AND BY THREE POINTS IN CPI(B) BECAUSE OF REDUCED CHARGES FOR HAIRDRESSING AND PACKAGE TOURS AFTER THE LUNAR NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS.

PRICE MOVEMENTS IN THE OTHER SECTIONS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.

DETAILS OF THESE PRICE MOVEMENTS ARE GIVEN IN THE +CONSUMER PRICE INDEX REPORT+ FOR MARCH 1983. BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE VERSIONS OF THIS REPORT ARE AVAILABLE AT $3 PER COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, GROUND FLOOR, CONNAUGHT PLACE, HONG KONG.

ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT AT TELEPHONE 3-7216512.

NOTE TO EDITORS

UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED, FIGURES PRESENTED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REFER TO CPI SERIES NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED.

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