Vietnam Intensifies Anti-Speculation

Vietnam intensifies anti-speculation

HANOI, May 21 (Xinhua) — The Vietnamese government has required ministries and localities to take measures to prevent goods speculations and price hikes amid soaring prices of some essential items such as cement, construction steel and fertilizers in the domestic market.

The government has asked the two ministries of Construction, and Industry and Trade to direct sectors to ensure sufficient supplies of cement, steel and fertilizers in localities nationwide, local newspaper Vietnam Economic Times reported Wednesday.

Municipal and provincial People’s Committees should direct relevant agencies to intensify inspection of goods prices, especially those of the three items, and strictly deal with goods speculators.

Relevant agencies should closely monitor price hikes and market changes to propose suitable solutions to the government.

Vietnam’s consumer price index is estimated to rise 17.61 percent year-on-year in the first four months of this year, the highest ever price hike, according to the country’s General Statistics Office.

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