XN000022-1991-12-27 — Page 2

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1991

CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES FOR NOVEMBER RELEASED

1984/85-BASED CPI'S (SEE TABLE 1)

THE 1984/85-BASED

THAN IN NOVEMBER 1990,

CPI (A) FOR NOVEMBER 1991 WAS 11.0% HIGHER ACCORDING TO THE FIGURES RELEASED TODAY

(FRIDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

THIS WAS LOWER THAN THE RATE OF INCREASE OF 11.5% IN SEPTEMBER AND 11.3% IN OCTOBER.

THE

1984/85-BASED CPI(B) FOR NOVEMBER 1991 WAS 10.9% HIGHER THAN IN NOVEMBER 1990. THIS WAS ALSO LOWER THAN THE RATE OF INCREASE OF 11.2% IN SEPTEMBER AND 11.1% IN OCTOBER.

THE MODERATION IN THE RATES OF INCREASE IN CFI (A) AND CPI(B) IN NOVEMBER WAS MAINLY DUE TO A MORE MODERATE INCREASE IN THE PRICE OF FOOD COMPONENT.

ON A YEAR-ON-YEAR COMPARISON BASIS, A DECREASE IN THE PRICES OF FRESH VEGETABLES AND A RELATIVELY MORE MODERATE INCREASE IN THE CHARGES FOR MEALS AT RESTAURANTS AND OTHER EATING PLACES WERE RECORDED IN NOVEMBER THIS YEAR.

IN ADDITION, PRICE INCREASES IN SOME OIL RELATED PRODUCTS INCLUDING LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS, TOWNGAS AND KEROSENE, AND SOME TRANSPORT SERVICES WHICH TOOK PLACE IN, NOVEMBER LAST YEAR DID NOT OCCUR THIS YEAR.

ON A YEAR-ON-YEAR COMPARISON, THE FUEL AND LIGHT COMPONENT IN THE CPI(A) RECORDED A DECREASE OF 2.3%.

MORE MODERATE INCREASE WAS RECORDED IN THE DURABLE GOODS COMPONENT (3.6%); FOLLOWED BY MISCELLANEOUS GOODS (7.3%); CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR (7.7%) AND FOOD (EXCLUDING MEALS AT RESTAURANTS AND OTHER EATING PLACES) (10.3%).

IN

ON THE OTHER HAND, RELATIVELY FASTER INCREASE WAS RECORDED ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO FOR HOME CONSUMPTION (40.9%); SERVICES (13.3%); MEALS AT RESTAURANTS AND OTHER EATING PLACES (11.7%); HOUSING (11.3%) AND TRANSPORT AND VEHICLES (11.2%).

FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY TO NOVEMBER 1991, THE AVERAGE CPI(A) AND AVERAGE CPI(B) INCREASED BY 12.2% AND 11.8% RESPECTIVELY OVER THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD OF 1990.

FOR THE 12 MONTHS ENDING NOVEMBER 1991, THE CPI(A) AND CPI(B) WERE 12.1% AND 11.7% RESPECTIVELY HIGHER THAN IN THE 12 MONTHS ENDING NOVEMBER 1990.

FOR NOVEMBER 1991, THE 1984/85-BASED HANG SENG CPI WAS HIGHER THAN IN NOVEMBER 1990.

10.5%

/FOR THE