BRIEFS | Inflation up 5.5 pct year-on-year

The Composite CPI for May 2015 has increased by 4.93 percent year-on-year to 105.39, up from the 4.51 pct growth in April 2015. According to the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), the increase is attributable to higher rents for residential buildings and the rising cost of eating out. In comparison to May 2014, a notable increase has been observed in the price indexes of the following categories: Housing & Fuels (+9.93 pct); Health (+6.02 pct); Household Goods & Furnishings (+5.43 pct) and Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages (+5.16 pct) on account of rising rents, dearer charges for eating out and out-patient services, and higher wages for domestic helpers. Contrastingly, the price index of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (-2.07 pct) showed a marked decrease. The CPI-A (105.59) and CPI-B (103.74) increased by 5.42 percent and 3.89 pct respectively year-on-year. For the 12 months preceding May 2015, the average Composite CPI increased by 5.52 pct from the previous period.

Fewer tourists, more same-day visits

In the first five months of 2015, visitor arrivals totaled 12,508,218, down by 2.7 percent year-on-year, with same-day tourists rising by 1 percent to 6,967,731 (55.7 pct of the total). Visitors from mainland China (8,349,603) and Hong Kong (2,631,363) decreased by 3.1 pct and 0.7 pct respectively year-on-year, while those from Taiwan (385,225) and the Republic of Korea (262,157) increased by 1.4 pct and 16 pct. Moreover, long-haul tourists from the United States, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom recorded a year-on-year decrease. Regarding modes of transport, arrivals by land totaled 1,384,263, down by 2.4 pct year-on-year; visitors entering through the Border Gate accounted for 88.2 pct of the total, at 1,220,627, down by 4 pct, while those arriving via the Cotai Checkpoint rose by 13.4 pct to 161,294. Visitor arrivals by sea increased by 5.8 pct while arrivals by air also increased by 1.4 pct year-on-year to 172,976.