2022 RT Banner.gif

China Daily

News> Hong Kong> Content
Published: 18:39, January 20, 2022 | Updated: 20:27, January 20, 2022
Hong Kong's consumer prices up 2.4% in December
By Wang Zhan
Published:18:39, January 20, 2022 Updated:20:27, January 20, 2022 By Wang Zhan

People cross a road in the Central district of Hong Kong on Oct 25, 2021. (ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong's overall consumer prices rose by 2.4 percent in December from a year earlier, faster than that of November at 1.8 percent, data from the Census and Statistics Department showed Thursday.

Excluding the effects of the government's one-off relief measures, the underlying inflation rate last month rose to 1.4 percent year-on-year, also larger than November's 1.2-percent increase. The larger increase was mainly due to the enlarged increases in costs for meals out and takeaway food as well as electricity charges, the department said.

Looking ahead, a government spokesman said external price pressures may increase further amid elevated global inflation and the pandemic-induced logistic disruptions

In the fourth quarter of 2021, the underlying inflation rate rose 2 percent over a year earlier. For 2021 as a whole, the underlying inflation rate was 1.6 percent higher than the preceding year.

Amongst the various components of the Composite CPI, year-on-year increases in prices were recorded for electricity, gas and water (54.2 percent); clothing and footwear (8.7 percent); transport (4.1 percent); meals out and takeaway food (3.7 percent); durable goods (2.1 percent); basic food (1.9 percent); miscellaneous services (1.0 percent) and alcoholic drinks and tobacco (0.6 percent).  

On the other hand, year-on-year decreases in the components of the Composite CPI were recorded for miscellaneous goods (-1.1 percent) and housing (-0.5 percent).

Looking ahead, a government spokesman said external price pressures may increase further amid elevated global inflation and the pandemic-induced logistic disruptions.

"Yet, as the latest wave of the local epidemic has weighed on some consumption-related activities and domestic cost pressures remain limited, the underlying inflation should stay broadly in check in the near term," the spokesman said.

Share this story

CHINA DAILY
HONG KONG NEWS
OPEN
Please click in the upper right corner to open it in your browser !