Consumer Prices for January 2012
In January, the consumer price index (CPI) went up by 4.5 percent year-on-year. The prices grew by 4.5 percent in cities areas, and 4.6 percent in rural areas. The food prices went up by 10.5 percent while the non-food prices increased by 1.8 percent. The prices of consumer goods went up by 5.5 percent and the prices of services grew by 2.2 percent. In January, the month-on-month change of consumer prices was up by 1.5 percent. Of which, prices in cities and rural went up by 1.5 percent simultaneously. The food prices grew by 4.2 percent, the non-food prices increased by 0.2 percent. The prices of consumer goods rose by 1.8 percent, and the prices of services went up by 0.8 percent.
I. Year-on-Year Changes of Prices of Different Categories
Food Prices went up by 10.5 percent year-on-year, contributing nearly 3.29 percentage points to the overall growth. Of which, the prices of grain rose by 6.1 percent, meaning 0.17 percentage points growth in the overall price level; meat, poultry and related products, surged 18.7 percent, contributing 1.28 percentage points (price of pork was up by 25.0 percent, contributing 0.75 percentage points); fresh eggs, down by 2.0 percent, contributing 0.02 percentage points; the prices of aquatic products, up 13.2 percent, meaning 0.31 percentage points growth in the overall price level, fresh vegetables, up 23.0 percent, contributing 0.67 percentage points; and fresh fruits, up 2.3 percent, contributing 0.05 percentage points, grease, increased 6.1 percent, contributing 0.07 percentage points.
Prices for tobacco and liquor went up by 3.7 percent year-on-year, of which, that of tobacco was up by 0.3 percent and liquor was up by 8.8 percent.
Prices for clothing rose by 3.3 percent year-on-year. The prices for clothes went up by 3.4 percent while the prices for shoes increased 2.8 percent.
Prices for household facilities, articles and maintenance services went up by 2.6 percent year-on-year, of which, prices for durable consumer goods was up by 0.6 percent, and household services and processing, maintenance services, up by 12.3 percent.
Prices for health care and personal articles grew by 2.6 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for medical apparatus and supplies increased 3.4 percent; traditional Chinese herbal medicines and proprietary Chinese medicines, up 9.0 percent; western medicine went down by 0.5 percent; and health care services, up 0.5 percent.
Prices for transportation and communication rose by 0.2 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for transportation facilities dropped by 0.5 percent; fuels and parts for vehicles, up 5.9 percent; vehicles use and maintenance, up 5.0 percent; intercity traffic fares, up 3.3 percent; incity traffic fares, up 1.7 percent; and communication facilities, down by 14.0 percent.
Prices for recreation, education, culture articles and services grew by 0.7 percent year-on-year. Of which, education went up by 1.0 percent; recreation and culture, up 1.5 percent; touring and outing, up 6.6 percent; and durable consumer goods for recreational and cultural use and services, down by 6.4 percent.
Prices for residence went up by 1.9 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for water, electricity and fuel rose by 0.9 percent; building and building decoration materials, up 2.4 percent; and house renting, up 2.6 percent.
According to estimation, in the 4.5 percent growth in January, the carryover effect of last year’s prices rising accounted for 3.0 percentage points, while new prices rising factors in this year accounted for 1.5 percentage points.
II. Month-on-Month Changes of Prices of Different Categories
In January, food prices rose by 4.2 percent month-on-month, contributing 1.34 percentage points to the month-on-month growth of consumer prices. In January, prices for fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and aquatic products continued to increased 26.1, 5.6 and 7.2 percent month-on-month, prices growth of the above mentioned three items affecting 1.0 percentage points increase in the overall price level, prices for meat, poultry and related products climbed 0.24 percent (the prices of pork rose by 3.9 percent, meaning 0.14 percentage points growth in the overall price level), price for gain, increased 0.3 percent, contributing 0.01 percentage points growth in the overall price level, price for eggs, declined 0.8 percent, contributing 0.01 percentage points decreased in the overall price level
Non-food prices increased 0.2 percent in January, affecting 0.15 percentage points increase in the overall price level. Of this total, prices for recreation, education, culture articles and services, increased 1.1 percent, contributing 0.12 percentage points increased in the overall price level, which mainly due to the holiday impacts of 6.7 percent increase of travel prices. In addition, prices for tobacco and liquor, household facilities, articles and maintenance services, health care and personal articles, transportation and communication, and residence went up by 0.1, 0.4, 0.1, 0.4, and 0.2 percent respectively, while that of clothing decreased 1.0 percent. Consumer Prices in January Item January M/M (%) Y/Y (%) Consumer Prices 1.5 4.5 Of which: Urban 1.5 4.5 Rural 1.5 4.6 Of which: Food 4.2 10.5 Non food 0.2 1.8 Of which: Consumer Goods 1.8 5.5 Services 0.8 2.2 By Commodity Categories I. Food 4.2 10.5 Grain 0.3 6.1 Grease 0.2 6.1 Meat, Poultry and Related Products 3.2 18.7 Of which: Pork 3.9 25.0 Eggs -0.8 -2.0 Aquatic Products 7.2 13.2 Fresh Vegetables 26.1 23.0 Fresh Fruits 5.6 2.3 Milk and dairy Products 0.3 3.2 II. Tobacco, Liquor and Articles 0.1 3.7 Tobacco 0.0 0.3 Liquor 0.2 8.8 III. Clothing -1.0 3.3 Clothing -1.1 3.4 Shoes -0.9 2.8 IV. Household Facilities, Articles and Maintenance Services 0.4 2.6 Durable Consumers 0.0 0.6 Household Services and Processing, Maintenance Service 4.7 12.3 V. Health Care and Personal Articles 0.1 2.6 Chinese Herbal Medicines and Proprietary Chinese Medicines 0.0 9.0 Western Medicines 0.0 -0.5 Health Care Services 0.2 0.5 VI. Transportation and Communication 0.4 0.2 Transportation Facilities 0.1 -0.5 Fuels and Parts for Vehicles 0.0 5.9 Communication Facilities -0.8 -14.0 Communication Services 0.0 -0.3 VII. Recreation, Education, Culture Articles and Services 1.1 0.7 Education Services 0.1 1.0 Tourism 6.7 6.6 VIII. Residence 0.2 1.9 Building and its Decoration Materials 0.2 2.4 House Renting 0.3 2.6 Water, Electricity, and Fuel 0.5 0.9
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. 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 consumption units etc.
3. Survey Methods
Original data of consumer prices are collected by specific person in fixed place at fixed time.