The country's consumer price index (CPI) will likely increase in August by roughly 0.4-0.5 percent compared to July, the Vietcombank Securities Co (VCBS) forecast.

According to the VCBS, although petrol price reductions may contribute to reducing CPI by up to 0.08 percent, the index would increase by 4.5-4.6 percent year-on-year in August due to increases in the price of health-care and educational services.

VCBS also anticipated that the month-on-month CPI rise in September will slow, leaving the index to rise by roughly 4.2-4.3 percent year-on-year as the continuous hike of educational fees at many cities and provinces nationwide next month, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, will be lower than in the same period in 2013.

Though local consumption demands are expected to gradually increase at the end of the year, the VCBS hopes the move will not have a significant impact on the CPI. The index, therefore, might depend on the price adjustment of necessary goods managed by the State, VCBS said.

The country's CPI for July rose by 0.23 percent over June and 4.94 percent over the same period of one year ago, according to the General Statistics Office.

Among the baskets of goods used in the CPI calculation, transport services recorded the highest growth (0.44 percent), followed by construction (0.43 percent), food and services (0.26 percent), as well as beverages, cigarettes, garments, hats, and footwear (0.2 percent).-VNA