VNA/VOV
The industrial production index (IIP) for the first four months of this year increased by an estimated 9.2% year on year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).
The rise was lower than the 10.7% increase recorded in the same period last year, but higher than the growth rates for the same period of 2016 and 2017.
The manufacturing and processing industry expanded by 10.9% year on year and contributed 8.3 percentage points to the overall growth.
Industrial products with high growth in the reviewed period were petrol and oil (70.3%), steel and crude iron (67.1%), television sets (42.6%) and liquefied gas (29.8%).
Among localities, the central province of Thanh Hoa led with a 42.8% increase in industrial production, thanks to the Nghi Son refinery which was commissioned in mid 2018. It was followed by the southern province of Tra Vinh with a 38.3% increase thanks to a surge in electricity output at the Duyen Hai thermal power electricity company, and the central province of Ha Tinh with a 34.9%.
As of April 1, the number of workers employed by industrial enterprises expanded by 1.4% from one month ago and 2.3% from one year ago.
In April alone, the industrial production index increased by 9.3% year on year but by just 0.6% compared to the previous month.