1. Macroeconomic stability and inflation curbing

• Consumer price index: CPI of February 2016 increased by 0.42% over the last month, by 1.27% as compared to the same period last year; average of the first 2 months by 1.03% as compared to the same period last year. Inflation of February rose by 0.27% over the last month and by 1.93% as compared to the same period last year.
• State budget revenue and expenditure: accumulating from beginning of the year to February 15th, total state budget revenue was estimated at 160.1 thousand billion dong, equaling 15.8% of the yearly estimate, up 2.4% as compared to the same period last year; total state budget expenditure was estimated at 185.59 thousand billion dong, equaling 14.6% of the yearly estimate, up 5.2%.
• Foreign direct investment attraction of the first 2 months achieved rather good results: realized FDI capital was estimated at US$ 1.5 billion, up 15.4% as compared to the same period last year; registered capital was estimated at over US$ 2.8 billion, higher 2.4 times as compared to the same period last year. Disbursement of ODA and preferential loans was estimated at US$ 275 million, up 8.7%.

2. Economic development

• Industrial production: IIP of the first 2 months increased by 6.6%, of which: electricity production and distribution rose by 12.8%; water supply, rubbish and wastewater treatment by 9.2%; processing and manufacturing by 8.5%; mining decreased 1.7%.
• Agricultural, forestry and fishery production faced many difficulties because of bad weather, long heavy and damaging cold weather in the Northern, drought and serious saline intrusion in the Mekong river Delta region. Drought and lack of fresh water also affected agricultural production and people’s life in the South Central, Central Highlands and East South provinces.

Rice cultivation: as of February 15th 2016, as much as 2,393.1 thousand hectares of winter spring rice was cultivated nationwide, equivalent to the same period last year; of which: Nothern provinces was cultivated 480.6 thousand hectares, Southern provinces was 1,912.5 thousand hectares. Particularly Mekong river Delta provinces harvested 321.2 thousand hectares winter spring rice early, up 0.5% as compared to the same period last year.

• Service sector: Total retailed sales of consumer goods and services in the first 2 months was estimated to rise by 9.7% as compared to the same period last year, if excluding the price change factor, it by 8.3%. International visitors to Vietnam was estimated at 1.64 million arrivals, up 16% as compared to the same period last year.
• Export and import: in the first 2 months, total export turnovers was estimated at approximately US$ 23.7 billion, up 2.9% as compared to the same period last year; total import turnovers was estimated at about US$ 22.8 billion, down 6.6%; trade surplus was around US$ 865 million, equaling 3.7% of total export turnovers.

3. Social welfares and other social fields

Levels, branches implemented well social welfare policies, people’s health care, visiting and giving gifts to policy family and people who deserve well of the revolution and assisting the poor… in Lunar New Year.

Cultural – art activities on New Year were held widely with rich content; management and operation of spring festivals were boosted checking; conserving and embellishing cultural heritage were cared about. Information – communication sector deployed many TV and radio programs, articles to congratulate the Party and welcome new Spring. Activities of sport, especially mass sports and folk games were held nationwide, creating healthy playgrounds, lively playful atmosphere and solidarity in people mass.

Traffic safety: in the first 2 months, number of traffic accident cases decreased by 11.91%, injuries by 10.57% but death toll increased 1.47% as compared to the same period last year.

Generally, in the first 2 months, ministries, branches, localities proactively implemented Resolutions of the National Assembly and Resolution No. 01/NQ-CP dated January 07^th 2016 by the Government and Directives, Official Letters of the Prime Minister on stabilizing price, market, preparing people for welcoming Lunar New Year, as well as tasks to be deployed after Tet holiday and achieved positive results.

Supply of goods and services was abundant; market price during and after Tet was rather stable, there was no price escalation. Agricultural production continued developing. Industrial production and export – import of the first 2 months increased as compared to the same period last year. Service sector developed well; international visitors to Vietnam in the first 2 months increased over the last month and as compared to the same period last year; total retailed sale of consumer goods and services continued rising highly, which is positive signal about purchasing power and aggregate demand. FDI attraction continued achieving positive outcomes; disbursement of FDI, ODA capital and preferential loans increased highly as compared to the same period last year. Social welfare policies were paid attention to implement; People’s life, especially people who who deserve well of the revolution, the poor, ethnic minorities, who in remote areas, border and island was paid attention both physically and mentally; political safety was maintained; hygiene and food safety, traffic safety and fire prevention were boosted… to ensure safety during Tet holiday.

However, in the early-February, heavy and damaging cold caused damage to crops and livestock in Nothern mountainous provinces; Saline intrusion in the Mekong river Delta provinces, drought and lack of fresh water for production and living in South Central, East South and Central Highland provinces affected agricultural production and people’s life. Forest damage increased highly as compared to the same period. Traffic accidents still occurred complicatedly, number of serious accidents was high./.

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