AEON Mall Long Bien in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA)

On average, the CPI over the first five months climbed 3.03% year-on-year, reflecting a stable and well-controlled upward trend in prices.

In May, prices rose slightly in 8 out of 11 major groups of goods and services recorded slight increases.

The group of housing, electricity, water, fuel, and construction materials posted the sharpest increase, by 0.88%, contributing 0.18% to the CPI expansion.

Rental prices rose by 1.3%, while the cost of housing maintenance materials increased by 0.29%.

The culture, entertainment, and tourism group rose by 0.34%, reflecting vibrant travel activities during the month. Meanwhile, the transportation group fell by 0.27% due to declines in petrol and diesel prices, helping to curb the CPI.

Gold prices surged in May, climbing 10.85% from the previous month and 56.54% year-on-year. The gold price index rose by 43.35% during January–May compared to the same period last year.

The US dollar price index went up 0.67% month-on-month and 3.41% year-on-year.

In addition to traditional factors, the strong growth of tourism activities in May positively contributed to overall economic growth and market stability.