Miscellaneous goods (2.1 percent in the Composite CPI and 1.8 percent in the CPI(A)), miscellaneous services (2.1 percent in the Composite CPI and 1.2 percent in the CPI(A)) and meals bought away from home (1.5 percent in the Composite CPI and 1.1 percent in the CPI(A)).
As to transport, the costs fell by 0.1 percent in the Composite CPI but remained unchanged in the CPI(A).
Taking the first ten months of 2006 together, the Composite CPI rose by 2.0 percent over a year earlier. The corresponding increases in the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) were 1.7 percent, 2.1 percent and 2.2 percent.
For the 3 months ended October 2006, the Composite CPI rose by 2.2 percent over a year earlier, while the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) rose by 2.0 percent, 2.3 percent and 2.3 percent respectively.
For the 12 months ended October 2006, the Composite CPI was on average 1.9 percent higher than in the preceding 12 month period. The respective increases in the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) were 1.6 percent, 1.9 percent and 2.0 percent.
The spokesman added further that consumer price inflation is likely to stay at a moderate level through to the end of the year.
While the recent weakening of the Hong Kong dollar along with the US dollar might give rise to some modest pick-up in imported inflation, the substantial fall-off in oil prices lately coupled with the sustained increase in productivity in Hong Kong should keep overall price pressures in check.
Census and Statistics Department
marketing@alchempro.com
