Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The consumer price index (CPI) in the first half of 2019 increased on average 2.64percent against the same period last year, the lowest pace recorded over thepast three years, General Statistics Office (GSO) General Director Nguyen BichLam announced on June 28.
Lamsaid at a press conference in Hanoi that the index in June dropped 0.09 percentover the previous month but expanded 2.16 percent year-on-year.
Theofficial attributed the fall and the slight growth to price management effortsas well as the flexible monetary policy of the State Bank of Vietnam.
DoThi Ngoc, head of the Price Statistics Department, said prices of some consumergoods went up in the first six months due to the increasing demand during theTet (Lunar New Year) holiday.
Inthe reviewed period, food, beverages and cigarettes, clothes, public transportand tourism services experienced price hikes.
Ofnote, the adjustment of electricity price and the greater demand during the Tet- the longest and most important yearly holiday in Vietnam - and the second quarterwhich marked the run of the hot weather led to a year-on-year rise of 5.84percent of electricity price.
Besides,prices of construction materials and office supplies also increased, heard thepress conference.
BetweenJanuary and June, the price of oil and gas fell 3.55 percent against thecorresponding time last year, contributing to a 0.15 percent fall in the CPI.
Education and health services also experienced price decreases during theperiod.
Statisticsshow that June’s basic inflation(CPI exclusive of foodstuff, fresh food, energy, health care and educationservices) rose 0.16 percent against the previous month and 1.96 percentyear-on-year.
In the first half, the figure went up 1.87percent year-on-year, which, Lam said, signals the efficiency of the monetarypolicy.-VNA
VNA
