According to figures released by the National Bureau of statistics (NBS) Thursday, the CPI dropped 0.6 percent in urban areas and increased 0.2 percent in rural areas in November.

The NBS attributed the CPI fall mainly to drops in the prices of grain, fresh vegetables, meat and eggs in most areas of the country after Chinese National Day on October 1.

NBS statistics showed that price of services dropped 0.1 percent in November over October, out of which the sector for tourism and travel dropped 3.2 percent. The price of housing in November grew 0.5 percent over the previous month.

The price of food dropped 0.7 percent over the previous month as that of grain fell for the first time in five months with the large number of autumn crops on sale.

The price of fresh vegetables in November dropped 3.6 percent over October and 7.2 percent year on year. The prices of eggs and meat dropped 4.8 percent and 0.3 percent respectively over October.

In November, the price of clothes rose 0.5 percent over the previous month, mainly due to the sales of winter clothes; but it dropped 1.7 percent from a year earlier. Sales of women's clothing saw an increase of 1.1 percent over October, and the price of down jackets grew 3.9 percent.

According to the NBS, 19 of the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities surveyed witnessed a lower CPI in November, with only 11 showing a rise.

(Xinhua News Agency December 14, 2001)