VIENTIANE, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Laos recorded an inflation rate of 7.6 percent in July, a slight increase from 7.4 percent in June, mainly driven by sharp increases in energy prices, according to the Lao Statistics Bureau.
According to a report released by the bureau on Wednesday, the highest price rise in July was recorded in the housing, water, electricity and gas category, which stood at 25.7 percent.
Other categories driving inflation included the medical care and medicines category at 12.7 percent, the education category at 12.3 percent, and the alcohol and tobacco category at 10.1 percent.
The report attributed the rise in inflation primarily to a 91.5-percent year-on-year increase in electricity prices and fuel prices that were 30 percent higher than a year earlier.
In early July, the country's central bank outlined five priority measures to curb inflation and keep the average inflation rate below 7 percent in 2026. The measures are aimed at preserving macroeconomic stability, strengthening confidence in the Lao kip, and supporting sustainable economic growth. ■
