CPI has risen by 5.5 per cent this year, but the average index for the first 11 months rose by 6.65 per cent from the same period last year.— Photo vietnamnet

HA NOI (Biz Hub)— The national consumer price index (CPI) increased 0.34 per cent this month over October, the lowest November jump in five years, the General Statistics Office (GSO) reported yesterday.

CPI has risen by 5.5 per cent this year, but the average index for the first 11 months rose by 6.65 per cent from the same period last year.

Nguyen Duc Thang, the director of GSO's CPI Department, said that mixed developments resulted in November's low index.

Storms and floods in the country's central region pushed food prices up 1.29 per cent, and rebuilding and repair work had caused construction materials and housing service prices to increase 0.41 per cent.

However, adequate supplies of essential goods and petroleum prices in the past two months had helped curb price hikes. Bank interest rates had remained low and tightened spending due to limited incomes also dragged prices down.

CPI moves during 2012-13. Source: GSO

Prices of healthcare, eating and drinking and culture and tourism services increased only 0.1-0.2 per cent, while traffic service prices were down 0.34 per cent.

"With the current developments, the nation's goal of controlling CPI growth at 7 per cent in 2013 is within reach," said Thang.

In Ha Noi and HCM City, November CPI increased 0.26 per cent and 0.17 per cent, respectively, according to local statistics agencies.

In the capital, food prices rose 2.17 per cent compared to October, while transportation fees were down by 0.42 per cent.

In the southern city, prices for accommodation, power, water and construction materials rose by 0.58 per cent. Transport fees dropped 0.38 per cent, and pharmaceutical and healthcare services were down 0.04 per cent.

Gold prices fell by 1.01-1.41 per cent and US dollar prices were down 0.07 per cent in the two cities. — VNS