Fuel, food push consumer prices up in February

The consumer price index (CPI) was up 1.42 percent year-on-year in February as Tet in early last month pushed up the prices of food, dining, and transportation.

Gasoline prices surged 5.8 percent from January and transport prices increased by 2.35 percent as travel demand skyrocketed during Tet (the Lunar New Year), according to the General Statistics Office.

Food and dining, beverages and cigarettes, and culture-entertainment-tourism prices rose 1.54 percent, 0.73 percent, and 0.51 percent, respectively

Housing and construction material prices also increased due to an increase in prices of inputs such as kerosene, gas, and electricity.

CPI in the first two months have risen by 1.68 percent year-on-year, said the GSO.

Inflation in full-year 2021 was 1.84 percent, the lowest rate since 2016, the office said.