VietNamNet Bridge - Consumer price index (CPI) of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi is 9.58 per cent and 9.56 per cent respectively this year, according to their statistics office bureaus.

Ho Chi Minh City’s CPI in December grew 1.61 per cent, compared with the monthly average of 1.73 per cent in the 11 first months of 2010.

In December, four out of 11 groups of goods and services have experienced price hike. Specifically, prices of food has surged 4.56 per cent, foodstuffs 2.14 per cent and dining-out services 1.57 per cent. Those of garments, hats and footwear have risen 3.17 per cent; drinks and cigarettes up 1.29 per cent; and home appliances up 0.85 per cent.

The price of gold this month in the city has increased 5 per cent.

The Hanoi Statistics Bureau said CPI in the capital city in December had risen 1.83 per cent, compared with the monthly average of 0.95 per cent in the whole year. This month, prices of postal and telecommunications services remained flat, while those of all other groups increased, mostly below 1 per cent.

The highest surge are seen in the prices of dining-out services, and housing, electricity, water, fuel and construction materials, 3.27 per cent and 2.86 per cent for the two groups respectively.

Economic experts said price hikes in Hanoi were mainly attributed to higher prices of input materials, animal diseases and natural disasters in the central and northern regions.

In December, the gold price in the capital city has risen 5.4 per cent against last month and 37.02 per cent over last year. That of US dollars has been up 3.44 per cent and 7.44 per cent respectively.

Source: VGP