In September, the consumer price index (CPI) went up by 1.9 percent year-on-year. The prices grew by 2.0 percent in cities and 1.7 percent in rural areas. The food prices went up by 2.5 percent, while the non-food prices increased by 1.7 percent. The prices of consumer goods went up by 1.8 percent and the prices of services grew by 2.3 percent. On average from January to September, the overall consumer prices were up by 2.8 percent over the same period of the previous year.

In September, the month-on-month change of consumer prices was up by 0.3 percent, prices in cities went up 0.3 percent, and rural areas grew 0.4 percent. The food prices increased 0.2 percent, the non-food prices increased 0.4 percent. The prices of consumer goods increased 0.4 percent, and the prices of services increased 0.3 percent.

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

In September, food prices went up by 2.5 percent year-on-year, affecting nearly 0.79 percentage points increase in the overall price level. Of which, the prices of fresh vegetables surged 11.1 percent, affecting nearly 0.30 percentage points increase in the overall price level; fresh fruits, up by 7.2 percent, affecting nearly 0.13 percentage points increase in the overall price level; aquatic products, up by 4.5 percent, affecting nearly 0.11 percentage points increase in the overall price level; the prices of grain rose by 3.7 percent, meaning 0.11 percentage points growth in the overall price level; grease, increased 4.1 percent, affecting nearly 0.05 percentage points increase in the overall price level; meat, poultry and related products down by 6.0 percent, affecting nearly 0.48 percentage points decrease in the overall price level (price of pork was down by 17.6 percent, affecting nearly 0.68 percentage points decrease in the overall price level).

Prices for tobacco and liquor went up by 2.4 percent year-on-year, of which, that of liquor was up by 5.1 percent and tobacco was up by 0.5 percent.

Prices for clothing rose by 3.4 percent year-on-year. The prices for clothes went up by 3.7 percent while the prices for shoes increased 2.3 percent.

Prices for household facilities, articles and maintenance services went up by 1.6 percent year-on-year, of which, prices for household services and processing, maintenance services, up by 9.7 percent, and durable consumer goods was up by 0.1 percent.

Prices for health care and personal articles grew by 1.4 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for traditional Chinese herbal medicines and proprietary Chinese medicines, up by 2.5 percent, medical apparatus and supplies increased 1.8 percent, health care services, up by 0.8 percent, and western medicine went up by 0.5 percent.

Prices for transportation and communication dropped 0.2 percent year-on-year. Of which, communication facilities, down by 11.4 percent, transportation facilities dropped by 1.0 percent, vehicles use and maintenance, up by 5.1 percent, prices for fuels and parts for vehicles, up by 1.2 percent, and inter-city traffic fares, up by 1.1 percent.

Prices for recreation, education, culture articles and services grew by 1.0 percent year-on-year. Of which, education service, up 2.6 percent, recreation and culture, up 2.0 percent, touring and outing, up 1.6 percent, durable consumer goods for recreational and cultural use and services, down by 5.0 percent.

Prices for residence went up by 2.3 percent year-on-year. Of which, prices for house renting, up 3.2 percent, water, electricity and fuel, up 3.2 percent, and building and building decoration materials rose by 0.2 percent.