Vietnam inflation eases to two-year low

  • Singaporean filmmaker gets 15-minute standing ovation at Cannes

    Singaporean director Anthony Chen described as “surreal” the 15-minute standing ovation that followed the world premiere of his debut feature film "Ilo Ilo" at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday. Though the ending of the premiere couldn’t have been more perfect, the 29-year-old Chen said the beginning was quite “nerve-wrecking” as it was marred by technical glitches.

  • COE prices up for all cars

    COE prices up for all cars

    COE prices up for all cars

    Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices for small and big cars rose in the latest bidding exercise Wednesday.

  • Shane Todd's family abandoning coroner's inquiry

    Shane Todd's family abandoning coroner's inquiry

    Shane Todd's family abandoning coroner's inquiry

    The family of Shane Todd, a U.S. scientist found hanged dead in Singapore last year, will not participate in the remainder of a coroner’s inquiry into his death.

  • SMRT to conduct full-scale inspection of NSEW rail network

    SMRT to conduct full-scale inspection of NSEW rail network

    SMRT to conduct full-scale inspection of NSEW rail network

    SMRT will embark on a full-scale inspection of the entire North-South and East-West lines to detect any potential rail cracks.

  • AVA stops sale of brand of Taiwan bubble tea pearls

    AVA stops sale of brand of Taiwan bubble tea pearls

    AVA stops sale of brand of Taiwan bubble tea pearls

    The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has stopped the sale of a brand of tapioca balls commonly used to make Taiwan bubble tea in Singapore. In a Facebook post on Monday, the AVA said it had informed the local importers of Sunright brand tapioca balls -- commonly known as "pearls" -- to withdraw them from sale.

Vietnamese inflation has slowed to the weakest pace in more than two years, the government said on Tuesday, mirroring cooling economic growth in the communist state.

Consumer prices climbed 5.35 percent year-on-year in July, the smallest increase since November 2009.

Inflation was in double-digit figures until April this year. It hit 23 percent in August 2011, forcing the government to repeatedly hike official interest rates in an effort to prevent the economy from overheating.

But slowing economic growth and easing price pressures have since triggered a turnaround in policy, with a series of interest rate cuts by the central bank this year.

Economists say the sharp slowdown in consumer prices is the result of the tighter monetary policy and cooling domestic consumer demand.

Vietnam's economic growth slowed to 4.38 percent in the first half of 2012 compared with the year-earlier period.

The economy grew 5.9 percent last year, and the government is aiming for a 6.0-6.5 percent expansion for the whole of 2012.

Loading...
  • Singaporean filmmaker gets 15-minute standing ovation at Cannes

    Singaporean director Anthony Chen described as “surreal” the 15-minute standing ovation that followed the world premiere of his debut feature film "Ilo Ilo" at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday. Though the ending of the premiere couldn’t have been more perfect, the 29-year-old Chen said the beginning was quite “nerve-wrecking” as it was marred by technical glitches.

  • Germany 'most popular country' in the world: poll

    Germany 'most popular country' in the world: poll

    Germany 'most popular country' in the world: poll

    Germany is the most popular country in the world despite well-publicised protests against its insistence on austerity measures within the European Union, an annual poll for the BBC World Service revealed on Thursday.

  • Water Wally and Singapore’s campaign obsession

    The schoolboy, the hawker auntie, the young lady and the taxi uncle – the spasms began as soon as Water Wally popped up in the background, lurking in the corner of every frame. First shocked, then jubilant, they found their … Continue reading →