Pedestrians walk past a stall selling Christmas decorations in Hong Kong on Dec 2, 2022. (ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)

HONG KONG –The overall consumer prices in Hong Kong rose by 1.8 percent in November year-on-year, the same as that in October, according to official data.

The Census and Statistics Department released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures for November on Tuesday.

“The year-on-year increase in food prices remained relatively fast, and prices of energy-related items as well as clothing and footwear continued to increase visibly,” a government spokesman said, adding that price pressures on other major CPI components remained broadly in check.

Netting out the effects of all the government's one-off relief measures, the year-on-year rate of increase in the Composite CPI in November 2022 was 1.7 percent, also the same as that in October

A 14.3 percent year-on-year increase was recorded in prices for electricity, gas and water; 5.2 percent for clothing and footwear; 3.8 percent for meals out and takeaway food; 3.3 percent for basic food; 1.7 percent for alcoholic drinks and tobacco; 1.6 percent for transport; 1.6 percent for miscellaneous services; and 0.4 percent for miscellaneous goods, the government said in a press release.

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On the other hand, year-on-year decreases were recorded in November in durable goods (-1.6 percent) and housing (-0.1 percent), according to the data.

Netting out the effects of all the government's one-off relief measures, the year-on-year rate of increase in the Composite CPI in November 2022 was 1.7 percent, also the same as that in October.  

Taking the first 11 months of 2022 together, the Composite CPI rose by 1.9 percent over a year earlier, while for the 12 months ending in November, it was on an average 1.9 percent higher than that in the preceding 12-month period.

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“Import price pressures will likely remain notable amid high inflation in many major economies, but the largely mild domestic cost pressures should help keep overall inflation moderate in the near term,” the government spokesman said.