MACAO, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The composite consumer price index (CPI) of Macao for April 2019 increased by 2.77 percent year-on-year to 115.14, down by 0.07 percentage points from the growth in March, the special administrative region's statistic service said here on Wednesday.

The latest report from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the increment in April was attributable to dearer charges for eating out, higher rentals for dwellings as well as rising prices of motor cars, gasoline, vegetables and fruits.

Among the various sections of goods and services, price indices of education and transport grew notably by 5.89 percent and 4.74 percent respectively year-on-year, whereas the indices of communication, alcoholic beverages and tobacco dropped by 0.76 percent and 0.40 percent.

The report added that the composite CPI for April 2019 rose by 0.25 percent month-to-month. Higher charges for package tours and rising gasoline prices pushed up the price indices of recreation and culture, and transport by 2.13 percent and 0.66 percent respectively.

Price index of food and non-alcoholic beverages went up by 0.12 percent on account of dearer charges for eating out and higher fruit prices. But lower prices of vegetables tapered off part of the increase.

Despite reduced electricity prices, price index of housing and fuels rose by 0.10 percent due to increases in rentals for dwellings and liquefied petroleum gas prices.

For the 12 months ended April 2019, the average composite CPI rose by 3.09 percent from the previous period, with notable growth in the price indices of clothing and footwear (5.77 percent), transport (5.66 percent) and education (5.33 percent).