CPI spikes by nearly one per cent in January
CPI spikes by nearly one per cent in January
The Consumer Price Index increased due to higher prices for medical services, transport, and food, as people shopped more for the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday.
An elderly woman gets a regular health checkup at the Thái Bình Traditional Medical Hospital. Medicine and medical services was the group of services with the highest price increase in January 2025. — VNA/VNS Photo Thế Duyệt |
Data released by the General Statistics Office on Thursday showed that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.98 per cent in January, compared to December 2024.
This price hike was mainly due to the increased prices of medical and transport services, and of food and essential items as people shopped more for the Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday.
Compared to January 2024, the index rose by 3.63 per cent.
Core inflation, CPI after excluding food, fresh food, energy and State-managed goods, increased by 0.42 per cent compared to December 2024, and by 3.07 per cent compared to January 2024.
Of the 11 groups of goods and services counted for CPI, prices increased in nine and decreased in two.
Medicine and medical services was the group with the highest price index rise, up 9.47 per cent compared to December 2024. This was due to the increased prices for a number of medical services in some localities, mandated in the Ministry of Health’s Decree 21, issued on October 17, 2024.
Changes in weather caused people to catch seasonal flu and respiratory diseases, which led to high demand for pain relivers, fever medicines and vitamins. Specifically, the prices of minerals and vitamins increased by 0.34 per cent, gastrointestinal medicines by 0.16 per cent, and respiratory medicines by 0.12 per cent.
These pulled CPI up by 0.51 percentage points.
Transport services is the group with the second highest price rise, up 0.95 per cent compared to December 2024 due to people’s increased travel demand during Tết, pushing CPI up by 0.09 percentage points.
Prices increased for all means of transport, whether by air, road, water or rail. Flight prices increased the most, up 11.08 per cent from December 2024.
Petrol and diesel prices increased by 2.02 and 4.99 per cent, respectively, due to the State’s price adjustments.
The two groups of goods and services with decreased price indexes were education – down slightly by 0.04 per cent, and post and telecommunications – down by 0.12 per cent.
