1.      Macro economy

-         Consumer Price Index: CPI of May increased by 0.16% over the last month and by 0.2% as compared to December 2014. As compared to the same period last year, CPI of May rose by 0.95%, average CPI of the first 5 months by 0.83%.

-         State budget revenue and expenditure: Accumulating from begining of the year to May 15th, total state budget revenue was estimated at 340.37 thousand billion dong, equaling 37.4% of the yearly estimation; total state budget expenditure was estimated at 407.97 thousand billion dong, equivalent to 35.6% of the yearly estimation.

-         Industrial production: Index of industrial production (IIP) of May increased by 2.1% over the last month and by 7.5% as compared to May 2014. In the first 5 months, IIP raised 9.2%, much higher than the same period last years; in which: electricity production and distribution was estimated to rise by 10.9%; processing and manufacturing by 9.9%; mining by 6.3%; water supply & waste, waste water treatment by 6.3%.

-         Agriculture, forestry and fishery production: As of May 15th, area of winter spring rice nationwide was 3.1 million hectares, equaling the same period last year; Southern localities sowed 1.14 million hectares of summer autumn rice, equivalent to 91%  over the same period last year and harvested 1.92 million hectares of winter spring rice, equaling the same period last year.

Agricultural production in some localities, especially Centre and Highland were affected by less favorable weather. Agricultural product consumption was difficult due to abundant supply resouce, decrease of demand and price.

-         Service: In the first 5 months, total retailed sales of consumer goods and services was estimated to increase by 9.1% over the same period last year; if excluding price factor, it rose by 8.2%, much higher than the same period last years (that of 2013 by 4.8%; 2014 by 6%). Total retailed sales of consumer goods and services continued to rise at high rate, which is a good signal of recovering purchase power and aggregate demand.

International visitors in the first 5 months were estimated at nearly 3.3 million arrivals, down 12.6% over the same period last year.

-         Export & import: In the first 5 months, total export turnovers was estimated at US$ 63.2 billion, up 7.3% as compared to the same period 2014; total import turnovers was estimated at nearly US$ 66.2 billion, up 15.8% over the same period; trade deficit was approximately US$ 3 billion, equaling 4.7% of total export turnovers.

-         Development investment: In the first 5 months, realized FDI capital was estimated at US$ 4.95 billion, up 7.6% as compared to the same period last year (that of the same period raised 0.4%). There were 592 newly registered projects, up 18.4% over the same period and 210 projects registered to raise capital, up 25.7%. Disbursement of ODA and preferential loans was estimated at US$ 749 million, up 11.8% over the same period.

2.      Social welfares, health, culture and other fields

-         Employment: In the first 5 months, there were about 641.1 thousand jobs estimated to be created, equaling 40.1% of the plan, up 3.7% over the same period, in which, export labors were about 44.4 thousand, equivalent to 97.7% of the same period.

-         Social welfares and people’s health care continued to be paid attention to implement well. Levels, branches were interested in deploying policies for people with meritorious services to revolution; organizating gratitude activities tied to anniversary of some important Festivals of the country; paying attention to and supporting life of the poor, social protection beneficiaries, hunger relief; taking care of ethnic minorities and assissting them to develop production, improve their life and escape from poor.

Preventive health and food safety continued to be strengthened not to let great epidemics occur. Healthcare continued to be paid attention. Project to reduce hospital overcrowding in the 2011-2020 period was deployed proactively. Improving quality of health care, reforming administrative, reducing inconvenience for patients and Health Insurance Law were also paid attention to implement.

-         Culture – art, information – communication activities were paid attention to deploy, especially those to celebrate the major festivals, such as: the 40th anniversary of Southern liberation and national reunification; 125th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh and Lotus Village Festival. Planning, conservation and restoration of cultural heritage continued to be implemented. Socio-economic situation was informed proactively, such as: prolonged drought in Central and Highland provinces, agricultural product consumption in some localities...

-         Traffic safety: As compared to the same period last year, traffic accident in the first 5 months decrease in all 3 criteria: number of case declined by 13.5%, death toll by 4.91% and injury by 18.97%.

Generally, in the first 5 months, the economy continued recovering and developing. Macro economy continued to be stable, CPI increased at low rate. Credit outstanding continued rising with stable interest rate, facilitating firms to mobilize capital for business. Disbursement of ODA and preferential loans was good, FDI attraction had positive change. Industry generally, processing and manufacturing particularly continued high growth speed. Total retailed sales of consumer goods and services continued high increase in quantity, which is good signal of recovering purchase power and aggregate demand. Enterprise development continued to change positively; number of newly registered enterprise increased; number of dissolved and decommissioned enterprise decreased as compared to the same period. Social welfares continued to be ensured; political safety and social order were maintained; traffic safety continued gaining positive results. Traffic accidents decreased in all 3 criteria (number of case, death toll and injury) over the same period last year.

However, the economy still faced many difficulties and challenges: export of domestic enterprise sector decreased as compared to the same period; trade deficit tended to rise; international visitors to Vietnam declined; consumption of some agricultural products was difficult. Complicated weather, especially prolonged drought in Central Coast and Highland affected agricultural production and people’s life. Life of people in mountains, ethnic minority, especially those living in disaster and drought areas faced many difficulties./.

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