Consumer Prices for August 2019

National Bureau of Statistics of China 2019-09-11 14:30 Print| Large| Medium| Small

In August 2019, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) went up by 2.8 percent year-on-year, with an increase of 2.8 percent in urban and 3.1 percent in rural. The food prices went up by 10.0 percent, and the non-food prices increased 1.1 percent. The prices of consumer goods went up by 3.6 percent and the prices of services grew by1.6 percent. From January to August, on average, the overall consumer prices were up by 2.4 percent from the same period of the previous year.

In August, the consumer prices increased by 0.7 percent month on month, with an increase of 0.6 percent in urban and 1.0 percent in rural area. In which, the price of foodstuff, non-foodstuff, consumer goods, and services went up by 3.2, 0.1, 1.1 and 0.2 percent respectively.

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

In August, Prices of food, tobacco and liquor went up by 7.3 percent year-on-year, affecting nearly 2.14 percentage points increased in the CPI. Of which, livestock meat price up by 30.9 percent, affecting nearly 1.31 percentage points increased in the CPI (price of pork was up by 46.7 percent, affecting an increase of nearly 1.08 percentage points in the CPI), fresh fruit prices rose by 24.0 percent, affecting nearly 0.39 percentage point increase in the CPI, poultry meat up by 9.6 percent, affecting nearly 0.12 percentage point increase in the CPI. The price of eggs rose by 3.8 percent, affecting the CPI up by about 0.02 percentage point. The price of aquatic products jumped 1.5 percent, affecting nearly 0.03 percentage point increase in the CPI. Grain prices rose by 0.7 percent, affecting CPI up by about 0.01 percentage point. Fresh vegetable prices dropped by 0.8, affecting the CPI down by 0.02 percentage point.

Prices in the other seven categories were up six and one down year-on-year. In which, the prices of other articles and services, health care, education, culture and entertainment rose by 4.7, 2.3 and 2.1 percent respectively, and the prices of clothing, residence and household articles and services rose by 1.6, 1.0 and 0.7 percent respectively. The price of transportation and communications dropped by 2.3 percent.

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

In August, food, tobacco and alcohol prices up by 2.2 percent month-on-month, affecting CPI increase by 0.67 percentage points. In which, livestock meat increased 15.0 percent, affecting nearly 0.71 percentage points increase in the CPI (price of pork was up by 23.1 percent, affecting nearly 0.62 percentage points increase in the CPI). Egg prices jumped by 5.9 percent, affecting CPI up by 0.03 percentage point. Poultry meat prices increased by 3.0 percent, affecting the CPI increase by 0.04 percentage points. Fresh vegetable prices up by 2.8 percent, affecting CPI increase by 0.07 percentage points. The price of aquatic products increased by 0.9%, affecting the CPI up by 0.02 percentage points; Fresh fruit prices fell by 10.1 percent, affecting CPI down by 0.22 percentage point.

Other 7 kinds of price went up 3 down 2 and 2 unchanged. In which, prices for other goods and services, health care and residence, rose by 1.4, 0.2 and 0.1 percent respectively. Prices of clothing, transportation and communications dropped by 0.3 and 0.2 percent respectively, while that of household articles and services, and education, culture and entertainment were flat.

Consumer Prices in August

Items	August		Average on Jan-Aug
Items	M/M (%)	Y/Y (%)	Y/Y (%)

Consumer Prices	0.7	2.8	2.4
Of which: Urban	0.6	2.8	2.4
Rural	1.0	3.1	2.4
Of which: Food	3.2	10.0	5.9
Non food	0.1	1.1	1.5
Of which: Consumer Goods	1.1	3.6	2.6
Services	0.2	1.6	2.0
Of which: Excluding Food and Energy	0.1	1.5	1.7
Of which: Excluding Fresh Vegetables and Fresh Fruits	0.9	2.6	1.9
By Commodity Categories
I. Food, Tobacco and Liquor	2.2	7.3	4.6
Grain	0.1	0.7	0.5
Cooking Oil	0.6	1.0	0.0
Fresh Vegetables	2.8	-0.8	7.5
Meat	15.0	30.9	11.0
Of which: Pork	23.1	46.7	15.0
Beef	4.4	12.3	7.8
Mutton	2.0	12.5	10.6
Aquatic Products	0.9	1.5	-0.7
Eggs	5.0	3.6	3.2
Dairy products	0.1	1.4	1.9
Fresh Fruits	-10.1	24.0	19.6
Tobacco	0.1	0.5	0.5
Liquor	0.4	2.3	1.8
II. Clothing	-0.3	1.6	1.8
Clothing	-0.3	1.8	2.0
Clothing Processing Service	0.1	3.9	4.3
Shoes	-0.3	1.0	1.1
III. Residence	0.1	1.0	1.8
House Renting	0.3	1.7	2.2
Water, Electricity, and Fuel	-0.1	0.0	1.1
IV. Household Articles and Services	0.0	0.7	1.0
Household Appliances	-0.2	-0.9	-0.4
Household Services	0.2	4.2	5.1
V. Transportation and Communication	-0.2	-2.3	-1.3
Transportation Facilities	0.0	-1.1	-1.6
Fuels for Vehicles	-1.1	-10.2	-4.2
Vehicle Use and Maintenance	0.1	2.2	2.4
Communication Facilities	-0.7	-2.2	-1.2
Communication Services	-0.1	-0.8	-1.1
Postal Services	-0.1	-0.5	0.0
VI. Education, Culture and Recreation	0.0	2.1	2.4
Education Services	0.0	3.1	3.2
Tourism	0.2	1.5	2.4
VII. Health Care	0.2	2.3	2.6
Traditional Chinese Medicines	0.3	4.3	5.4
Western Medicines	0.3	4.0	4.8
Health Care Services	0.2	1.7	1.6
VIII. Other Articles and Services	1.4	4.7	2.6

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 dishvisions 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.