Jan-Feb CPI highest in seven years

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in February and the first two months of 2020 pick up 5.4% and 5.91% against the same period last year, the highest figures recorded over the recent seven years, according to the General Statistics Office.

The February index decreased by 0.17% compared to the previous month. Six out of 11 groups of commodities in the CPI basket witnessed falling prices, including transport service down 2.5%, culture, entertainment and tourism down 0.43%, beverage and tobacco down 0.28%, garments, hats and footwear down 0.13%, housing and building material down 0.03%, post and telecommunications down 0.05%.

The rest of the groups saw increases in prices such as restaurants and food services up 0.26%, medicine and health services up 0.13%, household equipments and commodities up 0.08%, education up 0.04% and other commodities and services up 0.17%.

The prices of gold and US dollar in February hiked up 2.74% and 0.32%, respectively in comparison with the previous month./.

By Thuy Dung