HCM City
The consumer price index (CPI) in Ho Chi Minh City fell by 0.42% in December, making it the third consecutive month with minus figure growth rate, reported the municipal Statistics Department head.
Du Quang Nam said as compared with last year, the city’s CPI growth rate reached 18.08% or some 1.38% a month on average against 1.15% in 2007.
Post and telecommunications charges made the sharpest fall at 6.96% while the entertainments and tourism sector recorded the highest rise in prices at 2.79%.
Despite a 0.94% fall in fuel prices, food and drinks prices continued rising at 0.35 and 0.76%, respectively, directly affecting the people’s daily life and largely blamed for the weakening purchase power.
Gold prices dropped by 0.6% while US dollar value rose 1.68% against Vietnamese dong. (VNA)
