The General Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance released its report on the socio-economic situation for February and the first two months of 2026 on March 6.
According to the report, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in February 2026 rose by more than 1 percent compared with the previous month, as prices increased across major groups of consumer goods and services.
Higher prices for food, dining-out services, and transportation services, driven by stronger consumer demand for shopping and travel during the Lunar New Year holiday, were the main factors pushing the CPI upward in February.
On average, in the first two months of 2026, the CPI increased by nearly 3 percent year-on-year, while core inflation rose by almost 3.5 percent.
Notably, the period also recorded a sharp rise in the domestic gold price index. Increased demand for gold purchases for good fortune on the God of Wealth Day following the Lunar New Year contributed to the gold price index climbing by more than 11 percent in February 2026 compared with the previous month. On average, during the first two months of 2026, the domestic gold price index surged nearly 83 percent year-on-year.
The General Statistics Office noted that domestic gold prices have moved in tandem with global gold prices. As of February 28, the average global gold price stood at US$5,023.09 an ounce, up more than 6 percent from January. The increase was largely attributed to rising safe-haven demand amid prolonged economic and geopolitical uncertainties, particularly escalating trade tensions and concerns over global economic growth.
At the same time, capital inflows into major gold funds continued, while easing US Treasury yields enhanced gold’s appeal to investors, further reinforcing the upward momentum of gold prices during the month.
