Overall consumer prices in Hong Kong rose 3.7 percent in April 2004 compared to the same month a year earlier, according to data released by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released recently.
The increase in consumer prices was lower compared to the 3.9 percent recorded in March. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the average monthly rate of increase in the Composite CPI for the 3-month period from February to April 2014 was 0.2 percent, and that for the 3-month period from January to March 2014 was 0.3 percent.
Taking the first four months of 2014 together, the Composite CPI rose by 4 percent over a year earlier.
Year-on-year increases in prices were recorded in April 2014 for alcoholic drinks and tobacco (7.1 percent), mainly due to the increase of tobacco duty).
Other increases were noted for the following: housing (5.1 percent); meals bought away from home (4.7 percent); electricity, gas and water (4.4 percent); miscellaneous services (3.7 percent); food, excluding meals bought away from home (2.4 percent); miscellaneous goods (2.3 percent); transport (1.8 percent) and clothing and footwear (1.7 percent).
On the other hand, year-on-year decrease in prices was recorded for durable goods (-2.5 percent).