August consumer Price Index (CPI) in Hanoi increased 0.19 percent against the previous month, the highest since the Tet Holidays and much higher than 0.05 percent in Ho Chi Minh City, reported the Hanoi Statistics Office.
Prices increased most in food and catering service group with 0.38 percent, which was caused by surging food demand especially to pork and chicken for ceremonial offerings in the seventh month of the lunar calendar.
Egg prices also rocketed up because of full moon cake production for the coming Mid-Autumn Festival.
Six other groups of commodities saw the index up and two groups down comprising housing, electricity, water and gas; and construction materials.
The capital city’s CPI grew 1.53 percent since early this year, much lower than the expected rate of 6-7 percent for the whole of 2015.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the index was up 0.05 percent compared to July, when it was recorded at 0.12 percent.
Food and catering services, beverage and cigarettes posted the highest increase while housing prices, electricity, water and gas tumbled due to low consumption and gas price drop.
