China's consumer inflation slows in December even after stimulus efforts

China's consumer inflation slowed in December, while producer price deflation persisted, as Beijing ramped up policy support to bolster a faltering economy.

The consumer price index crept up 0.1% last month year-on-year, slowing from November's 0.2% increase and the weakest pace since April, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed on Thursday. That was in line with forecasts in a Reuters poll of economists.

CPI was flat month-on-month, against a 0.6% decline in November and matching forecasts.


The producer price index dropped 2.3% year-on-year in December, slower than the 2.5% fall in November and an expected 2.4% decline.