China December producer prices rise 5.5 percent on-year, topping forecasts

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's consumer inflation eased to 2.1 percent year-on-year in December, less than market expectations.

Analysts polled by Reuters had predicted the consumer price index (CPI) would rise 2.3 percent, the same pace as in the previous month.

Producer prices inflated by a stronger-than-expected 5.5 percent for the month, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday, compared with the previous month's rise of 3.3 percent.

Prodcuer prices rose the fastest since September 2011.

The market had expected producer prices to rise 4.5 percent on an annual basis.

(Reporting by Beijing Monitoring Desk)