Overall consumer prices rose 5.2% year-on-year in October, less than September's 6.6% increase, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.
Netting out the effects of all Government one-off relief measures, the underlying inflation rate was 3.4%, compared to 3.3% in September.
Year-on-year increases were recorded for electricity, gas and water, alcohol and tobacco, housing, meals bought away from home, food, transport, and miscellaneous goods and services.
A year-on-year decrease was recorded for durable goods, and clothing and footwear.
The department said the headline inflation rate was higher than the underlying rate in October because the Government's rates concession ended in October and some households had used up the full amount of the Government's one-off electricity charge subsidy.
Upside inflation risks should remain contained in the near term, given the benign global inflation and moderate local cost pressures.
It said the Government will monitor inflation, particularly its impact on lower-income households.
