Overall consumer prices rose 4.3% in August over the same month last year, up on July’s 2.3% figure, the Census & Statistics Department said today.
Netting out the effects of the Government's one-off relief measures, the underlying inflation rate was 2.1%, also slightly up on the July figure of 2%.
Year-on-year increases were recorded for housing, electricity, gas and water, meals bought away from home, miscellaneous services, alcohol and tobacco, miscellaneous goods, food and transport.
Year-on-year decreases were recorded for durable goods, and clothing and footwear.
The department said inflation pressure stayed moderate in August.
The notably higher year-on-year rate was mainly due to the temporary effect of a very low base of comparison created by the Government's payment of public housing rentals last August, the department said, adding this temporary effect will not affect the inflation trend in the rest of the year.
Inflation pressure should remain contained in the near term, given the soft import prices and moderate increases in local costs, it added.
