August CPI rises 0.28 percent
Hanoi (VNA) - The country’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) in August increased by 0.28 percent over the previous month, and 2.26 percent over the same period last year, according to the General Statistics Office.
The GSO said that in the first
eight months this year, the index saw a 2.57 percent year-on-year increase on
average, the lowest rise seen in the last three years.
Among the 11 main commodity
groups, eight experienced price rises in August, including medicine and health
service with the highest rise of 2.81 percent.
Education prices rose 0.57 percent
as some localities increased tuition fees for the new academic year.
Housing and construction material
prices went up 0.33 percent mostly because of a 0.43 percent hike in rental
costs. Restaurants and catering services increased 0.24 percent with food
soaring 0.31 percent and foodstuffs 0.29 percent.
Garment and footwear prices rose
0.09 percent, household appliances 0.05 percent, beverages and cigarettes 0.03
percent, and other goods and services 0.14 percent.
Three groups saw decreases
– transportation; culture, entertainment and tourism; and post
and telecommunications – with decreases of 0.46 percent, 0.06 percent and 0.05
percent respectively.
The GSO said the health and
education services price hike contributed to the CPI increase last
month.
The spread of African swine fever
also affected the index. As of August 20, 4.4 million pigs had been culled due
to the disease, causing pork prices to rise 0.89 percent against the previous
month.
Persistent scorching heat in some
localities caused electricity and water demand to spike, resulting in 0.33
percent and 0.28 percent increases in their CPIs.
Core inflation in August rose 0.13 percent over the previous month and 1.95 percent over the same period last year. During the first eight months of 2019, it posted a 1.9 percent year-on-year increase.-VNA