Vietnam: Inflation inches up in January
Consumer prices increased 0.51% over the previous month in January, according to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam. This follows a 0.21% month-on-month rise in December. All but one of the 12 sub-components recorded higher prices compared to the previous month. Medicine and healthcare registered the biggest increase, whereas postal services and telecommunications was the only subcategory to see a decline in prices.
Inflation rose for the first time in four months, inching up to 2.7% in January (December: 2.6%),. It remains below the Central Bank’s target of 4.0%. Annual average inflation edged down to 3.3% in January from 3.5% in December.
Meanwhile, core consumer prices—which strips away rent, electricity, water, fuel and construction materials costs—increased 0.18% over the previous month in January, a bigger rise than the 0.11% month-on-month rise in December. Core inflation inched down from 1.3% in December to 1.2% in January.