Consumer price index (CPI) for April 2016

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the Composite CPI for April 2016 increased by 3.02% year-on-year to 108.03, down by 0.29 percentage points from the 3.31% growth in March. The year-on-year increment was attributable to higher rentals for parking spaces, rising charges for eating out, as well as dearer prices of motor cars and tobacco. In comparison with April 2015, increases in tobacco tax, tuition fees, rentals for parking spaces and prices of motor cars drove up the price index of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco, Education and Transport by 37.15%, 8.98% and 7.60% respectively. Meanwhile, price index of Clothing & Footwear and Communication decreased by 3.48% and 0.93%. The CPI-A (108.14) and CPI-B (107.05) rose by 2.95% and 3.62% respectively year-on-year. The Composite CPI for April 2016 edged up by 0.03% month-to-month. Price index of Clothing & Footwear and Transport increased by 2.18% and 0.58% on account of new arrival of women’s summer clothing and footwear, and higher prices of gasoline and motor cars. On the other hand, lower rentals for dwellings and reduced charges for electricity and package tours pushed down the price index of Housing & Fuels and Recreation & Culture by 0.47% and 0.29% month-to-month. Meanwhile, receding prices of vegetables and fresh fish offset the rise in prices of fresh pork and charges for eating out, bringing down the price index of Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages by 0.22%. The CPI-A dropped by 0.01% month-to-month while the CPI-B rose by 0.32%. For the 12 months ended April 2016, the average Composite CPI increased by 4.09% from the previous period. Price index of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+30.07%) and Education (+6.95%) showed marked increase. The average CPI-A and CPI-B went up by 4.28% and 3.36% respectively over the previous period. The average Composite CPI for the first four months of 2016 increased by 3.50% year-on-year, with the price index of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco, Education and Transport rising by 38.20%, 8.94% and 6.95% respectively. The average CPI-A and CPI-B rose by 3.53% and 3.29% respectively. The Composite CPI reflects the impact of price changes on the general households. The CPI-A relates to about 50% of the households, which have an average monthly expenditure of MOP10,000 to MOP29,999. The CPI-B relates to about 30% of the households, which have an average monthly expenditure of MOP30,000 to MOP54,999.