Macao's annual inflation rates hits 5.5% in 2013

MACAO - The average Composite Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the whole year of 2013 was 123.48 and the inflation rate for 2013 stood at 5.5 percent, according to the figures released on Tuesday by the city's Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).

The annual inflation rate was driven up by higher rentals for dwellings and rising charges for eating out, which altogether contributed 3.8 percentage points to the increase in the annual inflation rate, the DSEC said.

Analyzed by section of goods and services, housing and fuels, food and non-alcoholic beverages, and health recorded notable year-on-year increase of more than 6 percent during the period.

Meanwhile, price indices of education and communication decreased by 1.4 percent and 2.3 percent compared with 2012.

The figure also indicated that the Composite CPI for December 2013 was 126.88, increasing by 5.72 percent year-on-year.