China: Inflation edges up to six-month high in August
Consumer prices rose 0.7% from the previous month in August, up from July’s 0.3% expansion. The increase was primarily driven by higher food prices, particularly for vegetables, which were affected by heavy rainfall and flooding.
Inflation ticked up to 2.3% in August from 2.1% in July, coming in above market expectations of 2.1% and representing a six-month high. In addition, annual average inflation inched up to an over one-year high of 2.0% in August from 1.9% in July.
Producer price inflation, meanwhile, slowed to 4.1% in August from 4.6% in July, just above market analysts’ expectations of 4.0%. Easing inflation came on the back of softer price increases in the means of production subcategory, which includes mining and quarrying, raw materials, and processing.