AsemconnectVietnam - Consumer prices were stable last month, the Ministry of Planning and Investment said at the government’s monthly meeting last week.

Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh told the January meeting of the government last Friday that provinces had stocked up on goods to ensure sufficient supplies in the lead up to the Lunar New Year holiday (Tet). This has helped stabilise consumer prices.

Export sales inched up and trade deficit shrunk considerably. Foreign direct investment (FDI) approvals and disbursements rose against the same period last year and disbursements of official development assistance (ODA) and preferential loans were high as well.

The business startup picture was also bright, with the sizes of newly established firms bigger than the year-ago period.

Government members also discussed solutions to executing an action plan on the implementation of the government’s Resolution 01/NQ-CP, the socioeconomic development plan and State budget estimates.

In his closing remarks, prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung said the Vietnamese economy was feeling all sorts of impacts such as Vietnam’s deeper integration into the global economy, world oil price volatility, global economic woes and the East Sea issue, so relevant agencies should be watchful.

According to the prime minister, it is necessary to control consumer prices, enhance macroeconomic stability, boost exports and curb trade deficit.

He also called for measures to assist enterprises in business and production activities and help farmers recover from the recent cold spell that has caused heavy crop damage in northern upland provinces.

Source: Intellasia