XN000022-1991-05-24 — Page 12

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FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1991

THE INDEX FOR HOUSING INCREASED BY 2.3% IN CPI(A) AND BY 1.9% IN CPI(B) DUE TO HIGHER RENTS FOR SOME PRIVATE DWELLINGS AND FOR SOME FLATS IN HOUSING AUTHORITY AND HOUSING SOCIETY ESTATES.

THE INDEX FOR FUEL AND LIGHT DECREASED BY 1.7% IN CPI(A) AND BY 1.5% IN CPI(B) AS A RESULT OF LOWER PRICES OF LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS AND KEROSENE AS WELL AS THE DOWNWARD FUEL COST ADJUSTMENT FOR TOWNGAS.

ΤΟ

THE INDEX FOR ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO (FOR HOME CONSUMPTION) INCREASED BY 8.6% IN CPI(A) AND BY 7.2% IN CPI(B) DUE HIGHER PRICES OF CIGARETTES AND ALCOHOLIC DRINKS ARISING FROM THE RECENT INCREASE IN DUTIES.

THE INDEX FOR CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR INCREASED BY 6.7% IN CPI(A) AND BY 7.5% IN CPI(B) BECAUSE OF HIGHER PRICES OF OUTERCLOTHING AS THE CLEARANCE SALES OF SOME DEPARTMENT STORES AND FASHION SHOPS HAD ENDED IN APRIL.

THE INDEX FOR TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES INCREASED BY 4.5% IN CPI(A) AND BY 3.1% IN CPI(B) AS A RESULT OF AN INCREASE IN BUS FARES.

FIGURES HEREIN REFER TO CPI SERIES NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED. ALL PERCENTAGE CHANGES ARE DERIVED FROM CPI FIGURES TAKEN TO MORE THAN ONE DECIMAL PLACE.

THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO RELEASE THE NEW SERIES OF 1989/90-BASED CPI(A) AND CPI (B) IN PARALLEL WITH THE 1984/85-BASED CPI(A) AND CPI(B) UNTIL MARCH 1992, AFTER WHICH THE LATTER SERIES WILL BE DISCONTINUED.

APRIL

MORE DETAILS ARE GIVEN IN THE "CONSUMER PRICE INDEX REPORT" FOR 1991, WHICH IS AVAILABLE AT $7 PER COPY FROM THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GROUND FLOOR, GPO BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE, CENTRAL; OR FROM THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT, 19TH FLOOR, WANCHAI TOWER 1, 12 HARBOUR ROAD, WAN CHAI; OR FROM THE INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT, FRENCH MISSION BUILDING, 1 BATTERY PATH, CENTRAL FOR LOCAL AND OVERSEAS MAILINGS.

PRICE

ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE INDEXES CAN BE DIRECTED

ΤΟ THE CONSUMER INDEX SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT ON TEL. 805 6403.

THE 1989/90-BASED HANG SENG CPI WAS 112.0 IN APRIL 1991, UP BY 1.1% OVER MARCH 1991. THE 1984/85-BASED HANG SENG CPI WAS 164.9 IN APRIL 1991, UP BY 11.9% OVER APRIL 1990.

THE CORRESPONDING INCREASE IN THE THREE MONTHS ENDING APRIL 1991 WAS 12.3% AND IN THE 12 MONTHS ENDING APRIL 1991 WAS 11.7%.

THE 1989/90-BASED HANG SENG CPI IS BASED ON THE EXPENDITURE PATTERN OF ABOUT 10% OF URBAN HOUSEHOLDS IN HONG KONG WHICH SPENT $17,500-$37,499 A MONTH DURING 1989/90.

FURTHER DETAILS REGARDING THIS INDEX ARE INCLUDED IN THE HANG SENG CPI REPORT ISSUED BY THE ECONOMIC RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF HANG SENG BANK LTD.

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