Overall consumer prices rose 0.7% in September over a year earlier, further to a 0.8% increase in August.

The Census & Statistics Department said the slightly smaller year-on-year increase in the Composite CPI was mainly attributable to moderate increases in charges for package tours and in the prices of jewellery, clothing and footwear.

Analysed by sub-index and on a year-on-year comparison, the CPI(A) and CPI(B) rose 1.3% and 0.6% in September, also slightly smaller than the corresponding increases of 1.4% and 0.7% in August. However, the CPI(C) recorded a 0.3% rise in September, which was larger than the increase of 0.1% in August.

Among the various CPI components, year-on-year increases in prices were recorded in September for:

* electricity, gas and water (12.5% in the Composite CPI and 13.7% in the CPI(A));

* clothing and footwear (5.3% in the Composite CPI and 4.2% in the CPI(A));

* miscellaneous goods (2.9% in the Composite CPI and 1.9% in the CPI(A));

* food, excluding meals bought away from home (2.7% in both the Composite CPI and CPI(A));

* miscellaneous services (0.7% in the Composite CPI and 0.5% in the CPI(A)); and

* meals bought away from home (0.5% in the Composite CPI and 0.7% in the CPI(A)).

Year-on-year declines in prices were recorded in September for durable goods (-2% in the Composite CPI and -1.5% in the CPI(A)), and alcoholic drinks and tobacco (-0.1% in both the Composite CPI and CPI(A)). 

Minimal changes in housing, transport costs

Housing costs dropped 1.8% in the Composite CPI but remained unchanged in the CPI(A). Transport costs rose 0.5% in the Composite CPI but fell 0.3% in the CPI(A).

Noting that overall consumer prices remained modestly higher in September than a year earlier, the Government said the low base of comparison brought about by the rates concession in the third quarter of 2003 and the waiver of water and sewage charges in August-November 2003 continued to be the major contributory factor.