PRICE INDEXES


CONTENTS

Consumer price index

Wage price index

House price index


CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

The all groups consumer price index (CPI) for Adelaide rose 0.3% during the December quarter 2010, while the weighted average of the eight capital cities increased by 0.4% in the same period. Adelaide's CPI increased by 2.5% in the year ending December quarter 2010, compared with a 2.7% rise in the weighted average of the eight capital cities.

Adelaide's largest percentage increases in prices from the previous quarter were for Food (1.5%) and Recreation (1.1%). The largest decreases in prices from the previous quarter were for Clothing and footwear (3.4%) and Household contents and services (1.5%).

WAGE PRICE INDEX

The wage price index for all employee jobs in South Australia increased by 1.2% (in original terms) between the June and September quarters 2010. This was slightly lower than the national increase of 1.4% over the same period.

HOUSE PRICE INDEX

Preliminary estimates show the price index for established houses for Adelaide (in original terms) has risen by 1.1% in the December quarter 2010, following a fall of 0.9% in the previous quarter. Price rises were recorded in all other capital cities with the exception of Perth. Canberra (1.9%), Sydney (1.6%) and Melbourne (1.3%) recorded the largest price index increases. A fall of 3.2% in Perth moderated all other price index rises, resulting in an increase in the price index for established houses for the weighted average of the eight capital cities of 0.7% in the December quarter 2010.

In the 12 months to the December quarter 2010, preliminary estimates show the price index for established houses for Adelaide rose 3.5%, while the weighted average of the eight capital cities increased 5.8%. Melbourne (10.8%), Sydney (7.4%) and Canberra (6.5%) recorded the largest increases whilst Perth recorded the only decrease (2.0%) of all the capital cities.


*IMPACT OF THE FLOODS

Flooding in Queensland began in late December 2010. It is expected that the first significant economic impact of this and floods in other states will be reflected in the March quarter 2011 releasse of Consumer Price Index, Australia (cat. no. 6401.0) and House Price Indexes: Eight Capital Cities (cat. no. 6416.0). Price collection for the December quarter 2010 was not affected by the floods.