Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi’s consumer price index(CPI) in August was up 0.77 percent against the previous month and 2.81 percentyear-on-year, according to the municipal Statistics Office.

The index recorded in the first eight months of thisyear increased 1.49 percent from the corresponding period last year, the officesaid.

In August, eight out of 11 commodity groups sawmonth-on-month hikes, with restaurant and catering services up 2.21 percent. Of which,prices of food rose 3.27 percent and foodstuff was up 0,74 percent.

The rise was due to the imposition of social distancingamid COVID-19 spread, causing difficulties in the transportation of food andfoodstuff in the city, and the scarcity of fruits and vegetables.

The group of housing, electricity, water, fuels andconstructional materials also experienced a rise of 0.5 percent.

Slight increases were recorded the groups of beveragesand tobacco; culture, entertainment and tourism; household utensils; medicinesand medical services; and education, and post and telecoms.

Only transport; and garment, headgear and footwearrecorded declines of 0.24 percent and 0.05 percent, respectively.

In the eight-month period, such groups as transport; housing,electricity, water, fuels and constructional materials; education; and beveragesand tobacco posted year-on-year increases.

Meanwhile, culture, entertainment and tourism; postand telecom; and restaurant and catering services reported decreases.

The price of gold climbed by 12.47 percent, while theprice of US dollar reduced by 0.96 percent in the eight months.

Hanoi is under the third consecutive period of socialdistancing as a measure to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic./.