Consumer prices in April unchanged from previous month

The consumer price index in April was flat compared with the previous month but rose 4.3% against the same month last year and 0.9% over December last year, according to the General Statistics Office.

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Official data showed seven out of 11 baskets of goods used to calculate inflation posted increases, with drugs and healthcare services making the largest month-on-month gain at 8.05% as a result of hikes in healthcare costs.

The group of entertainment and tourism services rose slightly as demand increased for the four-day holiday over Reunification Day (April 30) and Labour Day (May 1) while the advent of summer drove up prices for clothes and fabrics.

Among the four groups of goods which saw prices go down, transport costs recorded the biggest fall at 1.38%, followed by food and restaurant services, which went down 0.66%, partly thanks to sharp reductions in pork prices and a slight drop in poultry prices.

Transport costs fell despite a fuel price hike on April 20 as the previous two rounds of cuts on March 21 and April 5 continued to exert their impact.

In April, domestic gold prices rose by an average 1.01% against the previous month while the price of the US dollar fell 0.38%.

According to the General Statistics Office, Vietnam’s core inflation in April, which excludes food and energy prices as well government-regulated goods, rose 0.09% from the previous month and 1.5% over the same month last year.

(Source: NDO)