Published: 10:53 Thursday - January 20, 2011
The January Consumer Price Index (CPI) in Hanoi surged 1.68 percent month on month, according to the Hanoi Statistics Office.
The index was up 12.36 percent over the same period of last year with rises seen in 10 out of 11 groups of commodities.
During the month, except for post and telecom services, all other groups of commodities saw a rise in prices against the previous month.
The prices of garment, headwear and footwear, housing, safe water, electricity, fuel, construction materials, household utensils and appliances, medicines, medical services, transport, culture, tourism and entertainment services slightly increased, by between 0.03-1.1 percent.
Meanwhile, charges of the restaurant and catering service group and drinks and tobacco group sharply rose by 2.8 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.
Most remarkably, in the restaurant and catering services group, food posted the strongest price rise of 3.56 percent.
Economic experts attributed the price hike of fresh seafood, foodstuff and vegetables to a long-lasting cold spell, which affected the growth of cattle and vegetables.
During the month, gold prices decreased by 0.08 percent from December, selling at VND3.59 million per tael while the US dollar value reduced by 0.71 percent as compared to last month. 
