Means of production prices rise in China

BEIJING -- Most of the capital goods monitored by the government posted higher prices in late August compared with the previous 10 days, official data showed.

Of the 50 major goods monitored by the government, including seamless steel tubes, gasoline, coal, fertilizer and some chemicals, 28 saw their prices increase from Aug 21 to 31, while 14 posted lower prices, and the prices of eight were unchanged, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

The price of live pigs went up 0.3 percent, while that of liquefied petroleum gas dropped 2.3 percent during the period.

The reading, released every 10 days, is based on a survey of nearly 2,000 wholesalers and distributors in 31 provincial-level regions.