March’s CPI down 0.44%

VGP - The consumer price index (CPI) in March decreased by 0.44% from the previous month, the lowest in the March period over the past 11 years, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

March 24, 2014 4:05 PM GMT+7

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The figure, however, rose 4.39% compared to the same period last year.

Accordingly, the country's CPI in the first quarter increased 4.38%.

Four groups of goods and services saw a drop in prices including food and services (minus 0.96%), housing and construction materials (minus 0.74%), transport (minus 0.03%) and post and telecommunications (minus 0.03%).

Other groups that witnessed slight increases of less than 1%. The drinks and beverages, and tobacco rose 0.24%.

The CPI in ten provinces and cities also fell in March such as Ha Noi (down 0.15%), Ho Chi Minh City (down 0.46%), Thai Nguyen (down 0.48%), Hai Phong (0.09%) and Thua Thien - Hue (down 0.4%).

Meanwhile, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Gia Lai, Vinh Long and Can Tho witnessed decreases of 0.64%, 0.56%, 0.78%, 0.46%, and 0.75%, respectively.

The gold price in March rose 3.31% compared to February and a year-on-year decrease of 17.97% and down 21.77% over the past three months.

By Thuy Dung