Price change: January's consumer prices rose 2% on the same month last year, but the increase was less than December's 2.3% rise.

January's consumer prices rose 2% on the same month last year, but were down on December's 2.3% rise, the Census & Statistics Department says. The inflation fall was mainly due to the difference in timing of the Lunar New Year festival, which fell in January last year but February this year.

While the rise in housing costs stabilised, the change in price of many other items - except clothing and footwear - was generally steady in January. Year-on-year falls in charges for package tours and inbound and outbound transport fares were recorded.

The sustained rise in labour productivity and the more moderate rise in shop rentals in recent quarters should render a cushion against the expected pick-up in imported inflation stemming from a weak US dollar and renminbi appreciation.

Clothing, footwear costs rise

January saw year-on-year rises in the price of clothing and footwear (up 9.5%), housing (4.8%), miscellaneous goods (2.8%), food (excluding meals bought away from home) (2.7%) and meals bought away from home (1.5%). The prices of miscellaneous services also rose 0.1%.

Year-on-year price falls were recorded for durable goods (down 6%), alcohol and tobacco (3.6%), electricity, gas and water (1.2%) and transport (0.9%).

For the quarter ending January, the Composite Consumer Price Index rose 2.1% over a year earlier. For the 12 months ending January, the index was on average 2% higher than in the preceding 12-month period.