Hanoi (VNA) – The GDPgrowth rate for the January-September period was 6.98 percent, the highest forthe same period over the past eight years, the General Statistics Officeannounced on September 28.  

GSO Director Nguyen Bich Lamsaid at a press conference in Hanoi that agriculture, fisheries,processing-manufacturing and export continued to be the driving force of theeconomy.

Macro economy remains stable,inflation is under control and unemployment is showing a decreasing trend,according to Lam.

The average CPI growth for thenine-month period was 3.57 percent year on year, while export value increasedby 15.4 percent and import up 11.8 percent. Final consumption surged by 15.4percent and asset accumulation picked up 7.71 percent.

As of September 20, creditgrowth rate stood at 9.52 percent while M2 money supply went up by 8.74 percentcompared to the end of 2017.

The agri-forestry-fisheriessector registered a 3.65 percent expansion, contributing 8.8 percent to theoverall growth. The industry-construction sector posted a 8.89 percentincrease, contributing 48.7 percent to the overall growth, while the servicesector, with a 6.89 percent increase, contributed 42.5 percent.

In breakdown, the agri-forestry-fisheriessector accounted for 13.93 percent of the economy in the nine-month period, theindustry-construction sector, 33.49 percent and the service sector, 42.54percent.

Other economic indicators alsoshowed positive signs. Business sentiment is optimistic with the Nikkei VietnamManufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) constantly rising from 51.6points in March, reaching a peak of 55.7 points in June and staying at a highlevel of 53.7 points in August.

The volume of new orders forexport also continued to increase in August, according to Nikkei.

The macro-economic indexesdemonstrated the effectiveness of the leadership of the Prime Minister andGovernment and efforts of ministries, sectors and local administrations sincethe early days and months of this year, the GSO director said.-VNA