A customer at a Lotte Mart in Hà Nội. The national consumer price index (CPI) in July grew by 0.4 per cent against June. — VNS Photo Mai Hương

HÀ NỘI — The national consumer price index (CPI) in July grew by 0.4 per cent against June and 3.39 per cent year-on-year, the General Statistics Office (GSO) reported on July 29.

Of the 11 main commodity groups, nine saw prices rise. Transportation increased the most, by 3.91 per cent, while housing and construction materials rose 0.47 per cent; culture, entertainment and tourism was up 0.3 per cent; and goods and other services increased 0.17 per cent.

The price of food and catering services and post and telecommunications, meanwhile, fell 0.18 per cent and 0.02 per cent, respectively.

Director of the GSO’s Price Statistics Department Đỗ Thị Ngọc said the CPI rose in July on the back of higher prices of petrol, gas, electricity and water due to increasing demand.

The petrol price increased 9.02 per cent during the month, resulting in a 0.37 per cent rise in the CPI in July.

Meanwhile, the prices of electricity and water increased 2 per cent and 0.25 per cent month-on-month, respectively.

The VND/USD exchange rate lost 0.23 per cent during the month.

The domestic gold price was around VNĐ50 million per tael (US$2,160), or 3.49 per cent higher than in June.

The average CPI rose 4.07 per cent year-on-year between January and July. The seven-month CPI was up 3.63 per cent in urban areas and 4.51 per cent in rural areas.

The GSO said that core inflation (the CPI excluding foodstuffs, fresh food, energy, healthcare and education) in July and the first seven months of 2020 increased 2.31 per cent and 2.74 per cent, respectively, against the same period last year. — VNS