China's consumer price index (CPI), a main gauge of inflation, rose 1.2 percent year on year in May, the latest official data showed Wednesday.
In the month, the core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, increased by 1.1 percent year on year, according to the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics.
In May, consumer prices edged up 1.3 percent in urban areas and 1.1 percent in rural areas. Food prices fell 1.7 percent, while non-food prices gained 1.9 percent. Prices of consumer goods were up 1.6 percent, and prices of services climbed 0.8 percent. In the first five months of the year, the CPI averaged 1.0 percent higher than the same period in 2025.
On a month-on-month basis, the CPI edged down 0.1 percent in May, the data revealed.
Urban and rural areas both recorded a 0.1 percent decline in May. Food prices fell 0.4 percent, while non-food prices dipped 0.1 percent. Prices of consumer goods dropped 0.2 percent, and prices of services slipped 0.1 percent from April.
China's CPI up 1.2 percent in May
