The Ha Noi Statistics Department reported that the capital's CPI in June edged up by 0.08 per cent over May and 1.16 per cent against the same period last year.— Photo TNMT

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The month-on-month consumer price indices (CPI) in the country's two biggest cities in June increased after being down for several months, according to statistics departments of Ha Noi and HCM City.

The Ha Noi Statistics Department reported that the capital's CPI in June edged up by 0.08 per cent over May and 1.16 per cent against the same period last year.

It said the development of the CPI in June this year was similar to the rate in June last year, and also increased after reduction in previous consecutive months, reported the Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam (Vietnam Economic Times) newspaper.

Nine out of the 11 baskets of goods, which contribute to the calculation of the capital's CPI data, saw an increase in prices this month. Among these, the prices of building materials, electricity, tap-water and fuel reported the highest increase of 0.84 per cent against last month.

After an increase last month, the price of gas continued to surge since June 1 by VND50,000-60,000 per 12-kg gas tank due to higher import prices.

This June also saw a surge in the prices of cultural, sports and entertainment products, as it did in June last year with a rate of 0.54 per cent because prices of domestic and foreign tours increased. The prices of tickets for entertainment products also increased on the occasion of International Children's Day on June 1.

The hot weather also resulted in an increase in prices of categories of beverages and tobacco products and of garments, hat and footwear products up to 0.45 per cent and 0.41 per cent, respectively, against last month.

Meanwhile, prices of postal and telecom products dropped 0.17 per cent and categories of rice and food products reduced by 0.27 per cent.

Gold prices in Ha Noi dropped 0.82 per cent while the US dollar surged 0.36 per cent as compared with last month.

HCM City Statistics Department also reported an increase of 0.58 per cent in the city's CPI for June against last month. The index had a year-on-year surge of 1.1 per cent.

The increase was expected due to a decision permitting an increase in the cost of health care services in the city since June 1.

Therefore, the categories of medicine and health care services had the highest price increase of 8.69 per cent among the 11 baskets of goods, which contribute to the calculation of the city's CPI data, against last month. Rice and food items came second with a rise of 0.53 per cent, as the price of food items was up. But the price of rice reduced slightly due to stability in supply as the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces finished harvesting rice of the winter-spring crop.

The categories of housing, building material, electricity, tap-water and fuel had the third highest increase in prices at 0.44 per cent in June compared with May.

HCM City had three categories of goods that reported reduction in prices this month. Cultural, sport and entertainment products were down 0.13 per cent due to the low demand for tourism by the people, while postal and telecom products were down 0.35 per cent and beverage products down 0.05 per cent.

In June, gold and US dollar prices in the city rose 2.7 per cent and 0.86 per cent, respectively, against last month. — VNS