BIZCHINA / Center

China producer prices tick higher
(AFP)
Updated: 2006-06-09 15:01

Factory gate prices in China gained 2.4 percent in May compared with a year ago, as energy products and metals materials became more expensive, government data shows.

China's producer price index (PPI) rose 1.9 percent in April and 2.6 percent in the first five months of the year, the National Bureau of Statistics said.

Data for May showed procurement prices for raw materials, fuel and power rose 5.5 percent. For the January to May period prices rose 5.9 percent.

In May alone, prices for crude oil, gasoline, kerosene and diesel were up 20.7 percent, 19.8 percent, 24.1 percent and 20.5 percent.

Non-ferrous metal processing prices increased 25.3 percent, with prices for copper, aluminium, lead and zinc up between 9.5 percent and 66.5 percent.

Production material prices increased 3.4 percent, while mining and exploration cost rose 12.9 percent.

In the processing industry, prices rose 0.8 percent, while consumer goods prices were down 0.4 percent. Food and related products fell 0.8 percent, while clothing and related product prices were up 1.2 percent.


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