Consumer Prices for May 2018

In May 2018, the consumer price index (CPI) went up by 1.8 percent  year-on-year. The prices grew by 1.8 percent in cities and 1.7 percent in rural  areas. The food prices went up by 0.1 percent, and the non-food prices increased  2.2 percent. The prices of consumer goods went up by 1.3 percent and the prices  of services grew by 2.5 percent. On average from January to May, the overall  consumer prices were up by 2.0 percent from the same period of the previous  year.

In May, the consumer prices went down by 0.2 percent month-on-month.  Of which, prices went down by 0.2 percent in cities and 0.1 percent in rural  areas. The food prices went down by 1.3 percent, and the non-food prices went up  by 0.1 percent. The prices of consumer goods decreased 0.2 percent, and the  prices of services decreased 0.1 percent. 

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

Prices of food, tobacco and liquor, went up by 0.7 percent  year-on-year, affecting nearly 0.21 percentage points increase in the CPI. Of  which, the prices of eggs, went up by 20.8 percent, affecting nearly 0.10  percentage point increase in the CPI; fresh vegetables, up by 10.0 percent,  affecting nearly 0.22 percentage points increase in the CPI; poultry, up by 6.4  percent, affecting nearly 0.07 percentage points increase in the CPI; meat, down  by 9.3 percent, affecting nearly 0.42 percentage points decrease in the CPI  (price of pork was down by 16.7 percent, affecting nearly 0.43 percentage points decrease in the CPI); fresh fruits, down by 2.7 percent, affecting nearly 0.05 percentage points decrease in the CPI.

The prices of all the other seven categories increased year-on-year.  Of which, the prices of health care, residence, education, culture and  recreation, increased 5.1, 2.2 and 1.9 percent respectively, transportation and  communication, household articles and services, increased 1.8 and 1.5 percent  respectively, clothing, other articles and services, increased 1.1 and 1.0  percent respectively.

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

Prices of food, tobacco and liquor went down by 0.8 percent  year-on-year, affecting nearly 0.24 percentage points decrease in the CPI. Of  which, prices for fresh vegetables, went down by 4.6 percent, affecting nearly  0.11 percentage points decrease in the CPI; fresh fruits, down by 2.7 percent,  affecting nearly 0.05 percentage points decrease in the CPI; meat, down by 2.3  percent, affecting nearly 0.09 percentage points decrease in the CPI (price of  pork was down by 3.6 percent, affecting nearly 0.08 percentage points decrease  in the CPI); eggs, up by 1.5 percent, affecting nearly 0.01 percentage points  increase in the CPI.

Among the prices of the other seven categories, five increased and  two decreased month-on-month. Of which, the prices of transportation and  communication, clothing, health care, increased 0.4, 0.2 and 0.2 percent  respectively, residence, household articles and services, increased 0.1 percent,  education, culture and recreation, other articles and services, decreased 0.2  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 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.