HCM City’s CPI rises in March

Illustrative image (Source: vietstock.vn)

HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City’s consumer price index (CPI) in March rose 0.09 percent compared with February and 0.64 percent against the same period last year, said the municipal Statistical Office.

According to the office, among 11 reviewed categories, only indexes of 5 groups increased in comparison with the month before.

Medicine and health services topped the list with an increase of 8.69 percent, as health service prices rose from March 1, 2016.

Other categories which saw upward trends in the month were education at 2.92 percent; home appliances by 0.34 percent; housing, electricity, tap water, fuel and building materials rose 0.22 percent; and culture, entertainment and tourism were up 0.06 percent.

In contrast, prices across six areas went down in the reviewed month compared with February, including transportation; other goods and services; beverages and cigarettes; post and telecommunications; restaurant and catering services; apparel, headwear and footwear.

The US dollar price in March hiked by 3.44 percent against the same period last year, but had actually fallen 1.35 percent since the beginning of this year; while gold prices had dropped 4.36 percent year-on-year, but were up 1.44 percent against January, 2016.-VNA