National

China April producer inflation surges to 45-month high

By Reuters Reuters
A worker takes a photo of bags of plastic pellets at a warehouse, as rising oil prices drive up production costs for plastic manufacturers, in Dongguan, Guangdong province, China, April 1, 2026. REUTERS/Go Nakamura
A worker takes a photo of bags of plastic pellets at a warehouse, as rising oil prices drive up production costs for plastic manufacturers, in Dongguan, Guangdong province, China, April 1, 2026. REUTERS/Go Nakamura Go Nakamura Reuters

BEIJING - China's producer prices rose for a second straight month in April and hit a 45-month high, official data showed on Monday, indicating that global energy price shocks stemming from the Middle East war continued to drive up costs for manufacturers.

The producer price index (PPI) increased 2.8% from a year earlier, National Bureau of Statistics data showed, well above the forecast for a 1.6% rise in a Reuters poll. The gauge had reversed a 41-month declining streak in March when prices rose 0.5%.

The consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.2% from a year earlier versus an expected 0.9% rise. It had climbed 1% the previous month.

On a monthly basis, CPI ticked up 0.3% versus an expected 0.1% dip and compared with a 0.7% drop in March.

(Reporting by Yukun Zhang and Liz Lee; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

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