XN000022-1997-04-22 — Page 6

Table 1 Consumer Price Indices and Rates of Increase for March 1997 (Oct. 94 - Sep. 95 = 100)

CPI(A)

CPI(B)

Hang Seng CPI Composite CPI

%

%

%

%

Index change Index change

for over

Index Index change

for over

for over Mar. 97 Mar. 96 Mar. 97 Mar. 96 Mar. 97 Mar. 96 Mar. 97 Mar. 96

Index change for over

Component

Food

107,7 +1.9 107.9

Meals bought away from 109,3

+3.7 108.7 home

+2.3 107.1 +2.6 107.7 +2,2

+3.5 107.1 +3.5 108.7 +3.6

Food, excluding meals

105.7

-0.2 106.5

+0.2 107.0

+0.6

106.2

+0.0*

bought away from home

Housing

119.4

+9.2 119.3

Fuel and light

113.3

+7.2 113.3

Alcoholic drinks and tobacco

112.7 +6.5 112.5 +6.3

+7.8 122.4

+7.4 113.9

111.0

+5.4 112.4

+9.3 120.3 +8.7

+7.1 113.4 +7.3

+6.3

Clothing and footwear

115.6 +11.5 115.8

+12,0 106.3

+11.0

112,6 +11.6

Durable goods

104.9 +2.9 105.3

+3.3

104.7

+2,4

105.0 +2.9

Miscellaneous goods

109.6 +10.5 108.5

+7.4

106.9

+4.8 108,4

+7,7

Transport

110.9 +4.6 111.1

Miscellaneous services

All items

113.5 +6.4 112.8

112.1 +5.7 112.6

+4.2

+6.4 110.1

110.5

+3.5 110.8 +4.1

+5.3 112.1 +6.1

+5.8

112.9

+6.3 112.5 +5.9

*less than 0.05%

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 (broadly equivalent to $4,300-$17,300 at 1996 prices). 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 (broadly equivalent to $17,300-$32,600 at 1996 prices). 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 (broadly equivalent to $32,600-$65,300 at 1996 prices).

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.