Chinese inflation eases

12/01 16:15 CET

economy

| |

China’s consumer inflation rate dipped to its lowest level in fifteen months in December at 4.1 percent compared with a year earlier.

The average rate last year was 5.4 percent, above the government’s target of 4.0 percent.

Food inflation rose slightly to 9.1 percent from November’s 8.8 percent — the lowest since September 2010. That would be troubling for China’s government if it signalled a rebounding trend in the cost of basic foodstuffs.

The figures raised economists expectations that Beijing will adjust its economic policy to boost growth as internal and external demand for Chinese goods slips.

More guidance will come when China will post fourth-quarter GDP data on Jan 17, along with December industrial output, investment and retail sales data.

More about: China, Economy, Inflation

| |

JavaScript is required in order to view this article’s accompanying video

Qatar mall fire kills 19 people

A fire at an upmarket shopping centre in Doha, Qatar, on Monday killed at least 19 people, including 13 children. Four teachers and two firefighters were also amongst the dead, according to the Gulf state’s interior ministry. The fire broke out at the Villagio Mall in…