In August, the consumer price index (CPI) went up by 2.0 percent year-on-year. The prices grew by 2.1 percent in cities and 1.8 percent in rural areas. The food prices went up by 3.4 percent, while the non-food prices increased by 1.4 percent. The prices of consumer goods went up by 2.1 percent and the prices of services grew by 2.0 percent. On average from January to August, the overall consumer prices were up by 2.9 percent over the same period of the previous year.
In August, the month-on-month change of consumer prices was up by 0.6 percent, prices in cities and rural areas went up by 0.6 percent, simultaneously. The food prices increased by 1.5 percent, the non-food prices rose by 0,1 percent. The prices of consumer goods increased by 0.7 percent, and the prices of services increased by 0.2 percent.
I. Year-on-Year Changes of Prices of Different Categories
In August, food prices went up by 3.4 percent year-on-year, affecting nearly 1.08 percentage points increase in the overall price level. Of which, the prices of fresh vegetables surged 23.8 percent, affecting nearly 0.60 percentage points increase in the overall price level; fresh fruit, increased 9.7 percent, affecting nearly 0.16 percentage points increase in the overall price level; aquatic products, up by 5.6 percent, affecting nearly 0.14 percentage points increase in the overall price level; grain, rose by 3.2 percent, meaning 0.09 percentage points growth in the overall price level; grease, increased 4.5 percent, affecting nearly 0.06 percentage points increase in the overall price level; meat, poultry and related products dropped 6.6 percent, affecting nearly 0.52 percentage points decrease in the overall price level (price of pork was down by 18.5 percent, affecting nearly 0.71 percentage points decrease in the overall price level); eggs, down by 3.2 percent, affecting nearly 0.03 percentage points decrease in the overall price level.
Prices for tobacco and liquor went up by 3.0 percent year-on-year, of which, that of liquor was up by 6.5 percent and tobacco was up by 0.5 percent.
Prices for clothing rose by 3.1 percent year-on-year. The prices for clothes went up by 3.5 percent while the prices for shoes increased 1.9 percent.
Prices for household facilities, articles and maintenance services went up by 1.8 percent year-on-year, of which, prices for household services and processing, maintenance services, up by 10.0 percent, and durable consumer goods was up by 0.1 percent.
Prices for health care and personal articles grew by 1.3 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for traditional Chinese herbal medicines and proprietary Chinese medicines, up by 2.9 percent, medical apparatus and supplies increased 2.0 percent, health care services, up by 0.8 percent, and western medicine went up by 0.4 percent.
Prices for transportation and communication dropped 0.8 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for communication facilities, down by 11.8 percent, fuels and parts for vehicles, down by 3.0 percent, transportation facilities dropped by 1.0 percent, vehicles use and maintenance, up by 4.8 percent, inter-city traffic fares, up by 0.7 percent.
Prices for recreation, education, culture articles and services grew by 0.4 percent year-on-year. Of which, recreation and culture, up 1.9 percent, touring and outing, up 1.8 percent, education service, up 1.5 percent, durable consumer goods for recreational and cultural use and services, down by 5.2 percent.
Prices for residence went up by 2.2 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for house renting, up 3.0 percent, water, electricity and fuel, up 3.0 percent, and building and building decoration materials rose by 0.4 percent.
According to estimation, in the 2.0 percent growth in August, the carryover effect of last year's prices rising accounted for 0.6 percentage points, while new prices rising factors in this year accounted for 1.4 percentage points.
II. Month-on-Month Changes of Prices of Different Categories
In August, food prices increased 1.5 percent month-on-month, contributing 0.49 percentage points to the month-on-month increase of consumer prices. In August, prices for fresh vegetables increased 14.3 percent, contributing 0.39 percentage points increase in the overall price level, prices for meat, poultry and related products increased 1.0 percent, contributing 0.08 percentage points (the prices of pork up by 1.5 percent, affecting 0.05 percentage points increase in the overall price level), price for eggs, increased 8.2 percent, contributing 0.07 percentage points increase in the overall price level, grain and grease, increased 0.6 and 0.7 percent respectively, the above two contributing 0.03 percentage points increase in the overall price level, fresh fruit and aquatic products decreased 3.3 and 1.7 percent respectively, the above two contributing 0.10 percentage points decrease in the overall price level.
Non-food prices increased 0.1 percent in August, month-on-month (the amount of change was 0). Of which, the month-on-month price for residence increased 0.4 percent, tobacco and liquor, health care and personal articles, transportation and communication, recreation, education, culture articles and services went up by 0.1 percent respectively, that of household facilities, articles and maintenance services remained at the same level (the amount of change was 0), that of clothing decreased 0.2 percent. In view of recreation, education, culture articles and services, tourism rose by 0.2 percent. In view of residence, water, electricity and fuel prices went up by 0.6 percent.
| Consumer Prices in August | |||
| Items | August | Jan-Aug | |
| M/M (%) | Y/Y (%) | ||
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| Consumer Prices | 0.6 | 2.0 | 2.9 |
| Of which: Urban | 0.6 | 2.1 | 3.0 |
| Rural | 0.6 | 1.8 | 2.8 |
| Of which: Food | 1.5 | 3.4 | 5.9 |
| Non food | 0.1 | 1.4 | 1.6 |
| Of which: Consumer Goods | 0.7 | 2.1 | 3.4 |
| Services | 0.2 | 2.0 | 1.8 |
| By Commodity Categories |
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| I. Food | 1.5 | 3.4 | 5.9 |
| Grain | 0.6 | 3.2 | 4.0 |
| Grease | 0.7 | 4.5 | 5.6 |
| Meat, Poultry and Related Products | 1.0 | -6.6 | 4.7 |
| Of which: Pork | 1.5 | -18.5 | -0.5 |
| Eggs | 8.2 | -3.2 | -5.9 |
| Aquatic Products | -1.7 | 5.6 | 9.4 |
| Fresh Vegetables | 14.3 | 23.8 | 18.8 |
| Fresh Fruits | -3.3 | 9.7 | -1.7 |
| Milk and dairy Products | 0.3 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| II. Tobacco, Liquor and Articles | 0.1 | 3.0 | 3.4 |
| Tobacco | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Liquor | 0.2 | 6.5 | 7.6 |
| III. Clothing | -0.2 | 3.1 | 3.4 |
| Clothing | -0.3 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
| Shoes | -0.3 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
| IV. Household Facilities, Articles and Maintenance Services | 0.0 | 1.8 | 2.1 |
| Durable Consumers | -0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| Household Services and Processing, Maintenance Service | 0.7 | 10.0 | 9.7 |
| V. Health Care and Personal Articles | 0.1 | 1.3 | 2.2 |
| Chinese Herbal Medicines and Proprietary Chinese Medicines | 0.1 | 2.9 | 6.4 |
| Western Medicines | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| Health Care Services | 0.1 | 0.8 | 0.6 |
| VI. Transportation and Communication | 0.1 | -0.8 | -0.2 |
| Transportation Facilities | -0.1 | -1.0 | -0.7 |
| Fuels and Parts for Vehicles | 1.6 | -3.0 | 2.7 |
| Communication Facilities | -0.8 | -11.8 | -12.8 |
| Communication Services | 0.0 | 0.1 | -0.1 |
| VII. Recreation, Education, Culture Articles and Services | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 |
| Education Services | 0.1 | 1.5 | 1.3 |
| Tourism | 0.2 | 1.8 | 2.0 |
| VIII. Residence | 0.4 | 2.2 | 1.9 |
| Building and its Decoration Materials | 0.1 | 0.4 | 1.4 |
| House Renting | 0.4 | 3.0 | 2.5 |
| Water, Electricity, and Fuel | 0.6 | 3.0 | 1.9 |
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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 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 consuming units etc.
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.
