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The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (February 17) the February 2014 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics (HKMDS).
Apart from providing up-to-date statistics, this issue also contains two feature articles entitled "Consumer Price Index and Its Movements during 2004 to 2013" and "Hong Kong's Portfolio Investment Statistics in the Past Decade".
"Consumer Price Index and Its Movements during 2004 to 2013"
The year-on-year rate of change of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is frequently quoted as the indicator of inflation. This feature article analyses the movements of consumer prices in the period 2004 to 2013.
The CPI registered annual decreases in 2004 due mainly to the weakness of the global economy. The CPI then reverted to annual increases since 2005 along with the improved economic conditions. In 2008 and 2011, the CPI rose significantly amidst the upsurge in food and energy prices in the international markets and the continued increases in private housing rents. In 2012 and 2013, the annual rates of increase maintained at around 4%.
Apart from presenting the movements of the overall indices in the past decade, this feature article also analyses price changes at various commodity/service section level.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Consumer Price Index Section, C&SD (Tel: 2805 6401).
"Hong Kong's Portfolio Investment Statistics in the Past Decade"
Hong Kong is a major international financial centre, with one of the largest stock markets in the world. Hong Kong's stock market is not only active in trading, but has also developed into a fund-raising platform for many companies from the mainland of China and multinational enterprises. At the same time, Hong Kong's debt market has been expanding in recent years. Leveraging on the comprehensive and effective financial facilities in Hong Kong, investors can choose different types of investment instruments for trading at relatively lower transaction costs. Analysis of Hong Kong's portfolio investment (PI) statistics is useful in understanding the characteristics and trend of PI in Hong Kong.
This feature article presents salient features of Hong Kong's PI statistics in the past decade.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Balance of Payments Branch, C&SD (Tel: 2116 8662).
Published in bilingual form, the HKMDS is a compact volume of official statistics containing about 140 tables. It collects up-to-date statistical series on various aspects of the social and economic situation of Hong Kong. Topics include population; labour; external trade; National Income and Balance of Payments; prices; business performance; energy; housing and property; Government accounts, finance and insurance; and transport, communications and tourism. For selected key statistical items, over 20 charts depicting the annual trend in the past decade and quarterly or monthly trend in the recent two years are also available. Users can download the Digest free of charge at the website of C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp140.jsp?productCode=B1010002).
Enquiries about the contents of the Digest can be directed to the General Statistics Section of C&SD (Tel: 2582 4738).
Ends/Monday, February 17, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:00
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