Hanoi’s April Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.2 percent against the previous month and 0.74 percent annually, said the city’s Statistics Office.

The CPI has increased for the last two consecutive months, largely due to hikes in the prices of transportation by 2.5 percent, and housing, electricity, water, fuel and construction materials by 1.84 percent.

Home appliances and garments and footwear experienced slight increases of 0.34 percent and 0.25 percent, respectively.

Food prices tumbled 0.72 this month owing to profuse supply coupled with hot weather.

Earlier, Ho Chi Minh City reported a CPI growth of 0.03 percent in April from the previous month and 0.8 percent against the same period last year.

It was also triggered by a sharp 2.71 percent rise in the cost of transportation, followed by housing, electricity, water, fuel and building materials which increased by 0.29 percent.-VNA