The major measures of inflation -- the consumer price and producer price indices -- both rose in August. The National Bureau of Statistics said on Saturday that CPI last month rose 1.8 percent year-on-year. That is the biggest growth since January and more than what many analysts have expected. The rise is largely attributed to cost hikes in fresh food transportation and fuels. In July, CPI grew by 1.4 percent.

 

Meanwhile, producer price inflation also accelerated more than expected in August, recording the biggest increase so far this year. The PPI rose 6.3 percent in August, compared with July's 5.5 percent. Upticks in the costs of steel and non-ferrous metal are seen as the biggest push behind the PPI numbers.