Consumer price index (CPI) in the capital city witnessed a light surge while its industrial index registered a sharp increase this October, based on figures from its statistics office.

The Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam (Vietnam Economic Times) newspaper quoted the office as saying the CPI here increased by 0.04 per cent month-on-month and 2.72 per cent year-on-year.

The growth rates, the lowest in the past 11 years, were attributed to the increase in goods supplies and the decrease in residents' purchasing power. In the first 10 months of this year, CPI here increased by 2.09 per cent.

Infonet also quoted the office as saying that the capital city's industrial production index posted a 7.3 per cent month-on-month increase and a 7.9-per cent year-on-year surge.

This month, the prices of petrol and gas were reduced several times, leading to the 1.07-per cent month-on-month reduction in transport group expenses. However, taxi and other transportation fees remained the same.

Meanwhile, people's low demand for restaurant and catering services failed to prevent a 0.13-per cent month-on-month increase in the prices of such services. The price of rice went up by 0.54 per cent and that of other food, by 0.01 per cent.

The prices for housing and building materials, as well as electricity, water and fuel, posted a 0.04-per cent month-on-month increase because of a quiet construction market.

The retail price of gas increased by VND4,000 per 12kg tank since October 1 as a result of the two previous consecutive months of increase in the retail price of tap-water.

Gold prices fell by 3.98 per cent month-on-month while the US dollar exchange rate rose by 0.13 per cent month-on-month.

This month, the city witnessed year-on-year increases of 46.18 per cent for the mining industry, 7.81 per cent for the processing industry and 8.9 per cent for waste treatment activities.

In the first 10 months of this year, the industrial production index posted a 4.53-per cent year-on-year increase. Sectors posting increased production figures include mining, processing, electricity, fuel and waste treatment.

The city saw a reduction in the production of some sectors such as tobacco, electric equipment, paper and beverage.