Price slide: Inflation dipped in October mainly due to the Government's relief measures.

Consumer prices in October rose 1.8% over the same month last year, the Census & Statistics Department says, noting headline inflation fell mainly due to the mitigating effects of the Government's relief measures.

The department said underlying inflation dropped to 5.9%, mainly reflecting the tapering of food and energy price inflation.

With international commodity prices retreating and the US dollar strengthening, inflationary pressures from the external front are receding, the department said. These factors, coupled with the slowdown in domestic demand and the Government's relief measures, should lead to progressive easing in inflation.

Food hikes

Food prices, excluding meals bought away from home, recorded a 14.9% year-on-year increase. Foods with large price hikes were rice (55.1%), beef (28%), fresh-water fish (27.3%), canned meat (26.5%), poultry (23.3%), edible oils (23.2%), and pork (20.1%). 

Increases were recorded in meals bought away from home (5.9%), miscellaneous goods (5.8%) and transport (3%).

Year-on-year price falls were found in electricity, gas and water (-32.3%), alcohol and tobacco (-1%), housing (-0.8%) and durable goods (-0.8%).