According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam (GSO), the consumer price index (CPI) increased by 0.45% in August 2018 against July 2018, increased by 2.59% as compared to that of December 2017 and the average CPI in the first 8 months of 2018 was up by 3.52% as compared to that of the same period of 2017.
Specifically, the prices of ten out of eleven groups of commodities increased as compared to the previous month.
The price index of the group of food and catering services registered the highest increase of 0.87% (with foodstuff prices and grain food prices increased by 1.12% and 0.10% respectively). Followed by the price index of the education group went up by 0.46%; the group of housing and construction materials went up by 0.44%; the group of the culture, entertainment and tourism increased by 0.19%; the price index of the group of traffic and the group of other commodities and services both went up by 0.13%; the price index of the beverage and cigarette group increased by 0.11%; the garment, footwear and hat group together with the group of household appliances and goods both increased by 0.10%; the group of medicine and healthcare increased the least by 0.02% respectively in comparison with July 2018.
By the end of August, postal services is the only group with price index decreased by 0.07% as compared to July 2018.
The core inflation in August 2018 increased by 0.22% as compared to that of the previous month, and increased by 1.54% over the same period of 2017. The average core inflation in the first eight months of 2018 was up by 1.38% as compared to that of the same period of 2017.
The gold price of August 2018 was down by 1.41% as compared to the previous month and down by 0.93% as compared to December 2017. The USD appreciated by 1.12% against July 2018, by 2.43% in comparison with December 2017.
VA