China's bulk commodity price index edges up in September

The index that tracks the performance of China's bulk commodity market edged up in September, industry data shows.

The index tracking the country's bulk commodity prices stood at 111.9 last month, up 0.2 percent month on month, the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said on Sunday.

A reading above 100 indicates expansion, while a reading below 100 reflects contraction.

The index went up for five months in a row, indicating that businesses remained optimistic, production and operations continued to expand, and the commodity market was functioning smoothly.

Compared with the same period last year, the index showed a 1.7 percent increase, with the year-on-year growth rate expanding by 0.5 percentage points from the previous month. Overall, the performance in September outpaced the same period last year.

Among the 50 key types of products monitored by the federation, 18 saw price rises on a monthly basis, with corrugated paper, caustic soda and electrolytic copper registering the largest increases of 6 percent, 2.5 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively.

By industry, the nonferrous metals price index continued its upward trend, driven by rising demand in the new energy sector and photovoltaics, as well as the broader commercial application of artificial intelligence.

The ferrous metals price index and the mineral price index declined, as the hot and rainy weather dampened downstream demand.

China's bulk commodity price index edges up in September

China's bulk commodity price index edges up in September

Russia said on Tuesday that it had taken control of two more settlements from Ukraine, while Ukraine, on the same day, reported repelling Russian offensives on multiple fronts.

Russia's Defense Ministry said in its latest report that over the past 24 hours, its forces captured the key logistics hub of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, and the village of Novoyakovlivka in southeast of the city of Zaporizhzhia.

The Russian forces also carried out strikes on 154 targets using tactical aircraft, attack drones, missile forces and artillery, and these targets included Ukraine's energy infrastructure as well as storage and launch sites for long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military said in a situation report that as of 08:00 Tuesday, it had carried out strikes on Russian drone control stations, multiple rocket launch systems and command posts over the past day.

The Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks in several directions, including Kupiansk and Lyman, the report said.

Furthermore, Ukraine's local authorities and the country's energy ministry said on Tuesday that the Russian forces launched air strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure from late Monday night to early Tuesday morning.

The attacks left dozens of people injured in Odesa city and Mykolaiv Oblast, and triggered power outages in multiple areas, the Ukrainian side said.

Russia captures two more settlements from Ukraine, while Ukraine repels Russian offensives on multiple fronts