Consumer Prices for August 2014

In August, the consumer price index (CPI) went up by 2.0 percent year-on-year. The prices grew by 2.0 percent in cities and 1.9 percent in rural areas. The food prices went up by 3.0 percent, while the non-food prices increased 1.5 percent. The prices of consumer goods went up by 1.8 percent and the prices of services grew by 2.4 percent. On average from January to August, the overall consumer prices were up by 2.2 percent over the same period of the previous year.

In August, the month-on-month change of consumer prices was up by 0.2 percent, of which, prices increased 0.1 percent in cities and 0.3 percent in rural areas. The food prices went up by 0.7 percent, while the non-food prices went down by 0.1 percent. The prices of consumer goods increased 0.3 percent, and the prices of services remained at the same level (the amount of change was 0, similarly hereinafter).

I. Year-on-Year Changes of Prices of Different Categories

In August, food prices went up by 3.0 percent year-on-year, affecting nearly 1.01 percentage points increase in the overall price level. Of which, the prices of fresh fruits went up by 21.2 percent, affecting nearly 0.41 percentage points increase in the overall price level; eggs, up by 18.7 percent, affecting nearly 0.16 percentage points increase in the overall price level; aquatic products, up by 3.8 percent, affecting nearly 0.10 percentage point increase in the overall price level; grain, up by 3.4 percent, affecting nearly 0.10 percentage point increase in the overall price level; meat, poultry and related products, up by 1.1 percent, affecting nearly 0.08 percentage points increase in the overall price level (price of pork was down by 3.1 percent, affecting nearly 0.10 percentage point decrease in the overall price level); fresh vegetables, down by 6.9 percent, affecting nearly 0.22 percentage points decrease in the overall price level.

Prices for tobacco and liquor went down by 0.6 percent year-on-year. Of which, that of liquor was down by 1.7 percent, and that of tobacco was up by 0.1 percent.

Prices for clothing rose by 2.6 percent year-on-year. The prices for clothing processing service went up by 5.0 percent, and the prices for clothes went up by 2.8 percent.

Prices for household facilities, articles and maintenance services went up by 1.1 percent year-on-year, of which, prices for household services and processing, maintenance services, up by 7.4 percent and durable consumer goods up by 0.2 percent.

Prices for health care and personal articles grew by 1.4 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for traditional Chinese herbal medicines and proprietary Chinese medicines, went up by 2.6 percent, health care services, up by 1.1 percent, western medicine, up by 0.6 percent.

Prices for transportation and communication increased 0.2 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for vehicles use and maintenance went up by 3.1 percent, fuels and parts for vehicles, up by 0.8 percent, communication facilities, down by 3.8 percent, transportation facilities, down by 0.6 percent.

Prices for recreation, education, culture articles and services grew by 1.9 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for touring and outing went up by 6.4 percent, education service, up by 2.2 percent.

Prices for residence went up by 1.9 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for house renting, up by 2.6 percent, water, electricity and fuel, up by 0.9 percent, building and building decoration materials, up by 0.8 percent.

According to estimation, in the 2.0 percent growth in August, the carryover effect of last year’s prices rising accounted for 1.0 percentage point, while new prices rising factors in this year accounted for 1.0 percentage point.

II. Month-on-Month Changes of Prices of Different Categories

In August, food prices went up by 0.7 percentmonth-on-month. Of which, prices for pork was up by 5.1 percent, affecting nearly 0.15 percentage points increase in the overall price level; prices for fresh vegetables increased 1.8 percent, affecting nearly 0.05 percentage points increase in the overall price level; prices for fresh fruits and aquatic products decreased 2.1 and 0.6 percent respectively, affecting nearly 0.07 percentage points decrease in the overall price level in total.

Non-food prices went down by 0.1 percentmonth-on-month. Of which, the month-on-month prices for transportation and communication, clothing, recreation, education, culture articles and services, tobacco and liquor decreased 0.3, 0.2, 0.2 and 0.1 percent respectively; that of household facilities, articles and maintenance services kept at the same level; that of health care and personal articles, residence increased 0.1 percent.

Annotations:

1. Explanatory Notes

Consumer Price Index (CPI) is an index measuring changes over time in the price level of consumer goods and services purchased by residents, which comprehensively reflects the changes of price level.

2. Statistical Coverage

Consumer Price Index (CPI) covers the prices of goods and services of eight categories and 262 basic divisions which cover the living consumption of urban and rural residents, including food; tobacco, liquor and articles; clothing; household facilities, articles and maintenance services; health care and personal articles; transportation and communication; recreation, education, culture articles and services and residence.

3. Survey Methods

The prices collection units are selected and determined by sample survey methods, and the original data of consumer prices are collected by specific person in fixed place at fixed time. Data are collected from 63,000 prices collection units in 500 cities and counties of the 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), which cover grocery stores, department stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, professional markets, franchise houses, shopping centers, open fairs and service consuming units etc.

 (Source:National Statistics Bureau website)