Total turnover from retails and social services in the first four months of 2013 reached nearly 850 trillion VND, up 11.8 percent against the same period last year.

The figure for April only was 213.4 trillion VND, increased by 0.8 percent compared with the previous month and 11.9 percent against last April.

Among the sectors involved, retails enjoyed an increase of 10.6 percent, while hotel and restaurant saw a rise of 16.3 percent and tourism – 7.1 percent.

In order to stabilise the goods market, the market management agencies carried out 18,378 inspections in the reviewed period.

They handled more than 6,500 violations, which were mainly related to smuggling, selling of fake and low-quality products and price violations, and collected more than 18 billion VND in fines.

From now till the end of the year, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will keep a close eye on market developments to promptly regulate prices while intensifying inspections of food hygiene, cross-border trade and smuggling.-vna