The March consumer price indices (CPI) in the country’s two largest cities have both recorded a rise, according to the statistics offices of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Hanoi’s CPI rose by 0.38 percent over the previous month and up 0.65 percent compared to the same period last year.

The Hanoi Statistics Office said that surging demand for livestock and poultry during the period pushed up the prices of food and restaurant services by 0.74 percent, contributing to the CPI rise.

In addition, a gas price hike of 5,000 VND (0.24 USD) from March 1 has lifted prices in housing, electricity, water and building materials up by 0.33 percent over February.

The gold price plunged 3.25 percent and the USD price lifted 0.02 percent against the previous month.

The Ho Chi Minh City Statistics Office also reported a growth of 0.16 percent in the city’s CPI for March. The figure for the first three months also represented a 0.54 percent annual increase.

The office said that the increase was triggered by a sharp rise in demands of food and restaurant services (0.51 percent), garments, hats and shoes (0.05 percent), culture and entertainment (0.05 percent) and housing, electricity, water and building materials (0.02 percent).

Meanwhile, decreases were seen in commodities and services (0.48 percent), transportation (0.43 percent), family appliances (0.04 percent) and beverages and tobacco (0.22 percent).

In contrast to the CPI, the price of gold fell by 0.54 percent while the USD exchange rate rose 0.82 percent.-VNA