In December, the consumer price index (CPI) went up by 2.5 percent year-on-year. The prices grew by 2.5 percent in cities and 2.5 percent in rural areas. The food prices went up by 4.2 percent, while the non-food prices increased by 1.7 percent. The prices of consumer goods went up by 2.5 percent and the prices of services grew by 2.5 percent. In 2012, the overall consumer prices were up by 2.6 percent over the same period of the previous year.

In December, the month-on-month change of consumer prices was up by 0.8 percent, of which, prices increased 0.8 percent in cities and 0.9 percent in rural areas. The food prices went up by 2.4 percent, the non-food prices kept at the same level (the amount of change was 0). The prices of consumer goods increased 1.1 percent, and the prices of services kept at the same level.

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

In December, food prices went up by 4.2 percent year-on-year, affecting nearly 1.37 percentage points increase in the overall price level. Of which, the prices of fresh vegetables rose by 14.8 percent, meaning 0.41 percentage points growth in the overall price level; aquatic products, up by 6.1 percent, affecting nearly 0.15 percentage points increase in the overall price level; grain, up by 4.1 percent, affecting nearly 0.12 percentage points increase in the overall price level; meat, poultry and related products up by 1.4 percent, affecting nearly 0.11 percentage points increase in the overall price level (price of pork was down by 6.2 percent, affecting nearly 0.22 percentage points decrease in the overall price level); grease, increased 4.5 percent, affecting nearly 0.06 percentage points increase in the overall price level; fresh fruits, down by 5.6 percent, affecting nearly 0.11 percentage points decrease in the overall price level.

Prices for tobacco and liquor went up by 1.5 percent year-on-year, of which, that of liquor was up by 2.7 percent and tobacco was up by 0.7 percent.

Prices for clothing rose by 1.9 percent year-on-year. The prices for clothes went up by 2.0 percent while the prices for shoes increased 1.2 percent.

Prices for household facilities, articles and maintenance services went up by 1.7 percent year-on-year, of which, prices for household services and processing, maintenance services, up by 9.5 percent, and durable consumer goods up by 0.3 percent.

Prices for health care and personal articles grew by 1.7 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for traditional Chinese herbal medicines and proprietary Chinese medicines, up by 2.4 percent, medical apparatus and supplies increased 1.8 percent, health care services, up by 1.1 percent, and western medicine went up by 0.5 percent.

Prices for transportation and communication kept at the same level year-on-year. Of which, prices for vehicles use and maintenance, up by 5.1 percent, fuels and parts for vehicles, up by 2.6 percent, inter-city traffic fares, up by 1.7 percent, communication facilities, down by 10.7 percent, transportation facilities dropped by 1.0 percent.

Prices for recreation, education, culture articles and services grew by 1.1 percent year-on-year. Of which, education service, up by 2.6 percent, recreation and culture, up by 2.4 percent, touring and outing, up by 1.1 percent, durable consumer goods for recreational and cultural use and services, down by 4.7 percent.

Prices for residence went up by 3.0 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for water, electricity and fuel, up by 4.0 percent, house renting, up by 3.3 percent, building and building decoration materials rose by 0.8 percent.

According to estimation, in the 2.5 percent growth in December, the carryover effect of last year's prices rising disappeared to 0, while new prices rising factors in this year accounted for 2.5 percentage points.

Consumer Prices in December

Items

December

Jan-Dec
on average

M/M (%)

Y/Y (%)

Consumer Prices

0.8

2.5

2.6

Of which: Urban

0.8

2.5

2.7

Rural

0.9

2.5

2.5

Of which: Food

2.4

4.2

4.8

Non food

0.0

1.7

1.6

Of which: Consumer Goods

1.1

2.5

2.9

Services

0.0

2.5

2.0

By Commodity Categories

I. Food

2.4

4.2

4.8

Grain

0.4

4.1

4.0

Grease

0.2

4.5

5.1

Meat, Poultry and Related Products

2.4

1.4

2.1

Of which: Pork

3.9

-6.2

-5.0

Eggs

3.1

8.7

-2.9

Aquatic Products

2.0

6.1

8.0

Fresh Vegetables

17.5

14.8

15.9

Fresh Fruits

0.8

-5.6

-1.2

Milk and dairy Products

0.5

3.4

3.2

II. Tobacco, Liquor and Articles

0.2

1.5

2.9

Tobacco

0.2

0.7

0.5

Liquor

0.2

2.7

6.3

III. Clothing

0.0

1.9

3.1

Clothing

0.1

2.0

3.3

Shoes

-0.3

1.2

2.3

IV. Household Facilities, Articles and Maintenance Services

0.1

1.7

1.9

Durable Consumers

0.0

0.3

0.4

Household Services and Processing, Maintenance Service

0.8

9.5

9.7

V. Health Care and Personal Articles

0.0

1.7

2.0

Chinese Herbal Medicines and Proprietary Chinese Medicines

0.1

2.4

5.0

Western Medicines

-0.1

0.5

0.3

Health Care Services

0.1

1.1

0.7

VI. Transportation and Communication

-0.2

0.0

-0.1

Transportation Facilities

0.0

-1.0

-0.8

Fuels and Parts for Vehicles

-1.3

2.6

2.9

Communication Facilities

-0.8

-10.7

-12.2

Communication Services

0.0

0.0

-0.1

VII. Recreation, Education, Culture Articles and Services

-0.2

1.1

0.5

Education Services

0.1

2.6

1.7

Tourism

-1.2

1.1

1.7

VIII. Residence

0.1

3.0

2.1

Building and its Decoration Materials

0.1

0.8

1.0

House Renting

0.1

3.3

2.7

Water, Electricity, and Fuel

0.1

4.0

2.4