China's consumer price index (CPI), a key measure of inflation, edged up by 0.1% year-on-year in March, according to official data released on Thursday.
On a monthly basis, the CPI decreased by 1% in March. Meanwhile, the core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose by 0.6% year-on-year, indicating a moderate increase, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported.
Bruce Pang, chief economist of JLL Greater China, attributed the slowdown in both yearly and monthly CPI growth rates to a seasonal decrease in demand for food and travel services following the recent Spring Festival holidays.
Looking ahead, Pang expects the CPI to gradually return to normal levels over the year amid short-term fluctuations, supported by improving economic conditions and effective macroeconomic policy measures.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
