HCM City’s CPI up 0.48% in August

Eight of 11 groups of commodities saw their prices go up in the month, with the highest rise recorded in food and catering services at 0.84% month-on-month. 

Other groups with hikes were housing, electricity, water, fuel and construction materials, up 0.75%; goods and other services, 0.46%; transport, 0.27%; household utensils, 0.21%; culture, entertainment and tourism, 0.13%; and education, 0.1%. 

Some groups experienced a drop in their prices such as clothing, hats and footwear, down 0.77%; post and telecommunications, 0.05%; and medicine and health services, 0.12%. Beverages and tobacco remained stable. 

In August, the gold price declined 0.19% while that of the US dollar went up 1.18% against last month. 

The country’s CPI in the month inched up 0.45% month-on-month, and 3.89% from the same time last year, pushing up the eight-month figure to 3.52% year on year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

The GSO forecasts a rise in September’s CPI due to price surge in education service, pork price, gas and gasoline.