XN000022-1984-07-19 — Page 15

THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1984

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COMPARED WITH MAY 1984, THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS ROSE BY 2. POINTS IN CPI(A) AND 2.4 POINTS IN CPI(B). THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICE OF FRESH VEGETABLES INCREASED DUE TO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS BROUGHT ABOUT BY TORRENTIAL RAINS AT THE END OF MAY AND BY TROPICAL STORM WYNNE IN LATE JUNE. THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICE OF SALT-WATER FISH ALSO WENT UP DUE TO INADEQUATE SUPPLY AS SOME FISHERMEN STAYED AT HOME TO CELEBRATE THE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL. INCREASES WERE ALSO RECORDED IN THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICE OF FRESH FRUITS AND IN THE AVERAGE CHARGE FOR MEALS IN RESTAURANTS. THE EFFECT OF MOVEMENTS IN THE RETAIL PRICES OF OTHER FOOD ITEMS ON THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS WAS INSIGNIFICANT.

HIGHER PRICES OF MEDICINES AND JEWELLERY PUSHED UP THE INDEX FOR MISCELLANEOUS GOODS BY 0.8 POINT IN CPI(A) AND 1.1 POINTS IN CPI(B).

THE INDEX FOR TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES ROSE BY 0.7 POINT IN CPI(A) AND 1.5 POINTS IN CPI(B) AS A RESULT OF HIGHER CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNEL CHARGES AND THE FULL IMPACT OF THE RISE IN MTR FARES.

THE INDEX FOR SERVICES INCREASED BY 0.8 POINT IN BOTH CPI(A) AND CPI(B), REFLECTING THE EFFECT OF HIGHER ADMISSION CHARGES FOR CINEMAS AND HIGHER CHARGES FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT.

PRICE MOVEMENTS IN OTHER SECTIONS WERE INSIGNIFICANT.

(FIGURES PRESENTED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REFER TO CPI SERIES NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED. ALL PERCENTAGE CHANGES ARE DERIVED FROM CPI FIGURES TO 2 DECIMAL PLACES.)

DETAILS OF THESE PRICE MOVEMENTS ARE GIVEN IN THE +CONSUMER PRICE INDEX REPORT+ FOR JUNE 1984, WHICH IS AVAILABLE AT $3 PER COPY FROM THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, GROUND FLOOR, CONNAUGHT PLACE, HONG KONG, OR FROM THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT, ROOM 1904, 19TH FLOOR, KAI TAK COMMERCIAL BUILDING, 317 DES VOEUX ROAD CENTRAL, HONG KONG. THE REPORT IS ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES, BEACONSFIELD HOUSE, HONG KONG FOR LOCAL AND OVERSEAS MAILINGS.

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

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