HCMC witnesses 0.78% CPI increase in March

VGP – The March consumer price index (CPI) in Hồ Chí Minh City has increased 0.78% against the previous month, said Mr. Dư Quang Nam, Head of the City Department of Statistics.

March 19, 2010 4:05 PM GMT+7

Since the beginning of 2010, CPI monthly surges 1.26% in Hồ Chí Minh City – Illustration photo

This month CPI has grown by 3.78% from the beginning of 2010 and by 10.27% against the same period last year.

High princes are blamed to be reason for the weaker purchasing power after the Lunar New Year Festival. Though dropping slightly against the previous month, prices of foodstuff and catering services remained high.

The price of transport has jumped sharply by 1.48% and is followed by housing and building materials (up 1.26%).

Meanwhile, drinks and tobacco, garments and footwear, domestic utensils and appliances, medicines and health services, education, culture-entertainment and tourism grew slightly.

Economists assessed that rising oil price (up VND 590 per liter), growing taxi fee (VND 500 per km), transport fees, and other growing costs for medicines, gas, steel and milk have mainly affected the CPI in Hồ Chí Minh City in March.

By Khánh Phương