Chinese National Bureau of Statistics data indicate that the annual rate of consumer price inflation in China was 1.8 percent last month, the same as the month before, Xinhua reports.

The Chinese government-run news agency quotes a senior researcher for Bank of Communications Co. Ltd, Liu Xuezhi, as saying the annual rate of core consumer price inflation, which excludes food and energy prices, slowed to 1.9 percent last month, the slowest for 15 months, from 2.0 percent in April.

Mr Liu expects consumer price inflation to remain mild unless there is a surge in domestic demand.

Official data indicate that the annual rate of producer price inflation was 4.1 percent last month, accelerating from 3.4 percent the month before.