XN000022-1997-01-23 — Page 26

25

Table 1 Consumer Price Indices and Rates of Increase for December 1996 (Oct. 94 - Sep. 95 = 100)

CPI(A)

%

CPI(B)

%

Hang Seng CPI Composite CPI

%

%

Index change Index change Index change Index change

for over

for over for over for over Dec. 96 Dec. 95 Dec. 96 Dec. 95 Dec. 96 Dec. 95 Dec. 96 Dec. 95

Component

Food

+3.8

106.4 +4.1 106,5 +3.8 105.5 +3.1 106.4 +3.8 Meals bought away from 107.4

+3.4 105.3 +2.6 106.9 +3.4

107,0

home

Food, excluding meals

105.1

+4.5

105.6

+4,4

106.0

+4.5 105.4 +4.4

bought away from home

Housing

117.6

+9.6

117,0

+8.5

119.1

+9.2

117.8 +9.0

Fuel and light

111.4 +8.7 111.1

+8.5

111.6

+9.0 111.3 +8.7

Alcoholic drinks and tobacco

109.0 +6.1 109.1 +6.3

108.2

+6.1

108.9 +6.1

Clothing and footwear

Durable goods

Miscellaneous goods

Transport

110.0

118.8 +11.7 120.2 +12.7

104.2 +2.1 104.5 +2.7

108.1 +9.2 106.7

+6.0 109.8

115.9 +12.7

Miscellaneous services

All items

113.0

+6.8 112.0

110.9 +6.7 111.4 +6.5 111.9 +6.7 i11.4 +6.6

118.4 +12.5

104.8 +2.3 104.5 +2.4

+6.3 105.3 +3.8 106.8 +6.6

+5.7 109.0 +5.7

+5.8 109.6

+6.6 109.6 +5.4 111.5

+6.3

Monthly consumer price indices are compiled on the basis of (a) expenditure patterns of relevant households and (b) prices collected currently in the month. The expenditure patterns underlying the 1994/95-based consumer price indices are based on those patterns derived from the 1994/95 Household Expenditure Survey. The CPI(A) is based on the expenditure pattern of about 50% of households in Hong Kong, which had an average monthly expenditure of $4,000-$15,999 in 1994/95. The CPI(B) is based on the expenditure pattern of the next 30% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of $16,000-$29,999 in 1994/95. The Hang Seng CPI is based on the expenditure pattern of the next 10% of households, which had an average monthly expenditure of $30,000-$59,999 in 1994/95.

Whereas the CPI(A), CPI(B) and Hang Seng CPI are based on the expenditure patterns of groups of households with different magnitudes of household expenditure, the Composite CPI is compiled based on the expenditure pattern of all these households taken together. Thus, while the CPI(A), CPI(B) and Hang Seng CPI show the impact of consumer price changes on different groups of households, the Composite CPI shows the impact of consumer price changes on the household sector generally.