China’s Inflation Slows, Giving Central Bank Room to Ease

(Bloomberg) — China’s inflation eased in January, providing Beijing with more leeway to shore up the economy ahead of a key political leadership meeting later this year. 

The producer price index (PPI) rose 9.1% from a year earlier, official data showed Wednesday, weaker than economists’ forecasts for a 9.5% increase and down from 10.3% in December. Consumer prices grew 0.9% last month from a year earlier, according to statements from the National Bureau of Statistics, slower than a projected 1% increase.