Consumer Prices for March 2017
In March 2017, the consumer price index (CPI) went up by 0.9 percent year-on-year. The prices grew by 1.0 percent in cities and 0.6 percent in rural areas. The food prices went down by 4.4 percent, and the non-food prices increased 2.3 percent. The prices of consumer goods went down by 0.1 percent and the prices of services grew by 2.7 percent. On average from January to March, the overall consumer prices were up by 1.4 percent over the same period of the previous year.
In March, the consumer prices decreased 0.3 percent month-on-month. Of which, prices decreased 0.3 percent in cities and 0.4 percent in rural areas. The food prices went down by 1.9 percent, and the non-food prices went up by 0.1 percent. The prices of consumer goods decreased 0.5 percent, and the prices of services increased 0.1 percent.
I. Year-on-Year Changes of Prices of Different Categories
In March, prices of food, tobacco and liquor, went down by 2.4 percent year-on-year, affecting nearly 0.74 percentage points decrease in the CPI. Of which, the prices of fresh vegetables, went down by 27.9 percent, affecting nearly 0.95 percentage points decrease in the CPI; eggs, down by 11.8 percent, affecting nearly 0.07 percentage points decrease in the CPI; meat, went down by 1.3 percent (price of pork was down by 3.2 percent, affecting nearly 0.09 percentage points decrease in the CPI); aquatic products, up by 4.8 percent, affecting nearly 0.09 percentage points increase in the CPI; fresh fruits, up by 3.0 percent, affecting nearly 0.05 percentage points increase in the CPI; grain, up by 1.4 percent, affecting nearly 0.03 percentage points increase in the CPI.
In March, the prices of all the other seven categories increased. Of which, the prices of health care, other articles and services, residence, education, culture and recreation, transportation and communication, clothing, household articles and services, increased 5.3, 2.9, 2.4, 2.3, 2.0, 1.3 and 0.7 percent respectively.
According to estimation, in the 0.9 percent growth in March, the carryover effect of last year’s prices rising was 0.4, while new prices rising factors in this year accounted for 0.5 percentage points.
II. Month-on-Month Changes of Prices of Different Categories
In March, prices of food, tobacco and liquor decreased 1.3 percent month-on-month, affecting nearly 0.39 percentage point decrease in the CPI. Of which, prices for eggs, went down by 4.0 percent, affecting nearly 0.02 percentage points decrease in the CPI; fresh vegetables, went down by 7.9 percent, affecting nearly 0.21 percentage points decrease in the CPI; meat, down by 2.5 percent, affecting nearly 0.12 percentage points decrease in the CPI (price of pork was down by 3.5 percent, affecting nearly 0.10 percentage points decrease in the CPI); fresh fruits, went down by 1.2 percent, affecting nearly 0.02 percentage points decrease in the CPI; aquatic products, down by 0.3 percent, affecting nearly 0.01 percentage points decrease in the CPI.
In March, among the prices of the other seven categories, three increased, two decreased and two remained at the same level. Of which, the prices of cloths, health care, residence, increased 0.6, 0.5 and 0.2 percent respectively, that of transportation and communication, education culture and recreation, decreased 0.4 and 0.2 percent respectively, that of household articles and services, other articles and services, remained at the same level.
| Consumer Prices in March | |||
| Items | March | Average on Jan-Mar | |
| M/M (%) | Y/Y (%) | Y/Y (%) | |
|
| |||
| Consumer Prices | -0.3 | 0.9 | 1.4 |
| Of which: Urban | -0.3 | 1.0 | 1.5 |
| Rural | -0.4 | 0.6 | 1.1 |
| Of which: Food | -1.9 | -4.4 | -2.1 |
| Non food | 0.1 | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| Of which: Consumer Goods | -0.5 | -0.1 | 0.6 |
| Services | 0.1 | 2.7 | 2.8 |
| Of which: Excluding Food and Energy | 0.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Of which: Excluding Fresh Vegetables and Fresh Fruits | -0.1 | 1.9 | 2.1 |
| By Commodity Categories |
| ||
| I. Food, Tobacco and Liquor | -1.3 | -2.4 | -0.8 |
| Grain | 0.1 | 1.4 | 1.3 |
| Cooking Oil | 0.0 | 1.2 | 1.5 |
| Fresh Vegetables | -7.9 | -27.9 | -18.8 |
| Meat | -2.5 | -1.3 | 1.4 |
| Of which: Pork | -3.5 | -3.2 | 0.9 |
| Beef | -0.7 | -0.2 | -0.1 |
| Mutton | -1.0 | -0.7 | -0.1 |
| Aquatic Products | -0.3 | 4.8 | 4.4 |
| Eggs | -4.0 | -11.8 | -11.9 |
| Dairy products | 0.1 | -0.2 | -0.3 |
| Fresh Fruits | -1.2 | 3.0 | 3.3 |
| Tobacco | 0.0 | -0.2 | -0.2 |
| Liquor | 0.6 | 1.6 | 1.2 |
| II. Clothing | 0.6 | 1.3 | 1.2 |
| Clothing | 0.6 | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| Clothing Processing Service | 0.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 |
| Shoes | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.0 |
| III. Residence | 0.2 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| House Renting | 0.4 | 2.8 | 3.1 |
| Water, Electricity, and Fuel | -0.1 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| IV. Household Articles and Services | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| Household Appliances | 0.1 | -0.5 | -0.8 |
| Household Services | -0.6 | 3.9 | 4.3 |
| V. Transportation and Communication | -0.4 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Transportation Facilities | -0.3 | -1.4 | -1.4 |
| Fuels for Vehicles | -0.6 | 16.9 | 17.0 |
| Vehicle Use and Maintenance | -0.4 | 1.8 | 1.6 |
| Communication Facilities | -0.6 | -3.8 | -3.7 |
| Communication Services | 0.0 | -0.2 | -0.2 |
| Postal Services | -0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| VI. Education, Culture and Recreation | -0.2 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
| Education Services | 0.1 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Tourism | -1.7 | 3.1 | 4.2 |
| VII. Health Care | 0.5 | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Traditional Chinese Medicines | 0.5 | 5.8 | 5.7 |
| Western Medicines | 0.7 | 6.5 | 6.3 |
| Health Care Services | 0.4 | 4.9 | 4.6 |
| VIII. Other Articles and Services | 0.0 | 2.9 | 3.6 |
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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 8 categories and 262 basic divisions which cover the living consumption of urban and rural residents, including food, tobacco and liquor; clothing; residence; household articles and services; transportation and communication; education, culture and recreation; health care; other articles and services.
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 88,000 prices collection units in 500 cities and counties of the 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), which cover shopping malls, supermarkets, open fairs, service outlets and Internet E-commerce suppliers.