 |
Customers buy goods in Intimex supermarket in Ha Noi. Most groups of commodities in Ha Noi increased in price from 0.06-0.79 per cent, led by food and restaurant services, transport, garments and footwear. — VNA/VNS Photo Tran Viet |
On aggregate, the index was up 8.09 per cent over the same period last year.
During the month, most groups of commodities saw a small increase in price, ranging from 0.06-0.79 per cent, led by food and restaurant services, transport, garments and footwear. In particular, housing, electricity, water and fuel enjoyed a small drop in price over the previous month, while post and telecoms servicess a was harper fall of 4.71 per cent.
This month, the price of gold increased by 1.01 per cent against last month. However, the US dollar rose 0.73 per cent over July.
The interbank exchange rate went from VND18,544 to VND18,932 per US dollar, effective August 18.
Prices of iron, steel and gas have increased, and many types of goods are expected to cost more in the near future, according to some producers and traders in HCM City.
Do Duy Thai, general director of Thep Viet Joint Stock Company, said the Viet Nam National Petroleum Corporation (Petrolimex) on August 9 increased the price of petrol by VND350-450 per litre, causing a production cost hike.
"With the increase of the US dollar interbank exchange rate, and the rise in price of imported steel, steel companies have raised steel prices by VND300,000 per tonne," he said.
Thai said these companies were still suffering a loss of VND700,000 per tonne.
"These companies had been afraid to let the steel prices climb because power consumption remains weak," Nguyen Tien Nghi, deputy chairman of the Viet Nam Steel Association (VSA), said.
"But a continuous rise in steel prices is inevitable," Nghi said.
Soon after the SBV decision, gas companies raised the price of gas by VND4,000-6,000 per 12-litre tank, although they usually announce price changes early in the month.
The gas prices are increasing largely due to the rise of the US dollar interbank exchange rate. These companies all buy domestic gas or imported gas with US dollars.
Le Phuc Dai, general director of the Vinagas Dai Viet Energy Joint-Stock Company, said both domestic and imported gas contracts were not signed with a fixed price, but with a floating exchange rate.
"The rise of exchange rates can directly affect the spending of gas companies," Dai said, adding that it would also affect the electricity market.
The prices of electric household products in HCM City have increased by 2 per cent, refrigerators and air conditioners by 3 per cent, and laptops by 7 per cent.
In early August, supermarkets in HCM City began raising prices on some products, including plastic household goods by 4 per cent, garments by 10 per cent, and food, canned food and candy by 5 per cent to 10 per cent.
Huynh Huu Tuan, manager of Citimart supermarket, said distributors had told him that they would raise the price soon because of the US dollar-Vietnamese dong exchange rate and petrol price.
Many products not influenced by the US dollar exchange include vegetables, fruit and fresh food. In cases where prices have risen, it has occurred because some companies are reflexively following the hikes imposed by other retail traders who raised prices after the SBV decision.
At wholesale agricultural markets in HCM City, vegetable prices have increased by VND500 – VND1,000 per kg, while the price at retail markets has increased by several thousand dong. — VNS
No comments:
Post a Comment