China's CPI up 1.5 pct in January

China's consumer price index (CPI) rose 1.5 percent year on year in January.

The rate was down from December's 1.8 percent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Friday.

Consumers buy vegetables in a supermarket in Zhengzhou, Henan Province. [File Photo: IC]

NBS statistician Sheng Guoqing attributed rising inflation to mainly to carryover effects and rising non-food and service prices, which climbed 2 percent and 2.3 percent year on year.

On a monthly basis, CPI was up 0.6 percent, higher than the 0.3-percent in the previous month. 

The month-on-month rise was mainly attributed to higher food prices, influenced by bad weather, according to Sheng.

In 2017, CPI rose 1.6 percent year on year, slower than 2 percent for 2016.