China's consumer inflation continued a mild recovery in April, supported by stronger spring travel demand and rising international energy prices, official data showed Monday.
The country's consumer price index (CPI), a main gauge of inflation, rose 1.2 percent year on year in April, up 0.2 percentage points from the previous month, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics.
Among them, food prices decreased by 1.6 percent, while nonfood prices increased by 1.8 percent. Prices for manufactured consumer goods rose by 3.5 percent, and prices for services rose by 0.9 percent.
The core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, also increased 1.2 percent from a year earlier, data showed.
"As temperatures rise, the supply of protected vegetables in the north and vegetables in the open air in the south increases, and seasonal fruits come onto the market one after another. The prices of fresh vegetables and fruits shifted from rising to falling year on year, leading to a decrease in food prices. Driven by demand for services such as elderly care, childcare, and domestic services, prices for household services increased year on year," said Liu Nancun, an economist at the Analysis and Forecasting Division of the Price Monitoring Center under the National Development and Reform Commission.
On a monthly basis, the CPI climbed 0.3 percent in April, reversing a 0.7-percent decline in March and exceeding the seasonal level by 0.4 percentage points.
Influenced by this year's Qingming Festival holiday, the May Day holiday, and spring breaks in some regions, the demand for travel services increased significantly. Prices for airfares, vehicle rentals, travel agency fees, and accommodation have risen.
In addition, driven by fluctuations in international crude oil prices, domestic energy prices rose both year on year and month on month.
"After the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli-Iran conflict, international crude oil prices surged by more than 50 percent year on year, driving up the prices of transportation fuels. Thanks to the government's temporary regulatory measures, China saw lower year-on-year increase in the price of refined oil than that of international price, thereby significantly mitigating the impact on people's production and daily life," the economist said.
China's consumer inflation continues mild recovery in April
