Slight rise: Overall consumer prices in April rose 1.3% over the same month last year.

Overall consumer prices in April rose 1.3% over the same month last year, the Census & Statistics Department says.

The smaller year-on-year rise was mainly attributable to the Budget measure of rates concession for the first two quarters of the 2007-08 fiscal year. Netting out this factor, year-on-year growth was 2.4%, the same figure as March. The concession will continue impact the CPI until September.

Year-on-year price rises were recorded in April for food (excluding meals bought away from home) (up 4.3%), clothing and footwear (4.1%), miscellaneous services (2.4%), miscellaneous goods (2.2%), meals bought away from home (2.1%), alcohol and tobacco (1.2%) and housing (0.9%). 

Year-on-year price falls were recorded for durable goods (-4.9%), electricity, gas and water (-3.1%) and transport (-0.9%).

The Census & Statistics Department said the higher charges for package tours in April were effectively offset by the moderating rise in food prices and the decline in Towngas charges.