Means of production prices rise in China

BEIJING -- Most of capital goods monitored by the Chinese government registered higher prices in mid-January compared with early January, official data showed Monday.

Of the 50 major goods monitored by the government, including seamless steel tubes, gasoline, coal, fertilizer and some chemicals, 32 reported rising prices during the period, 15 registered lower prices, while three saw prices remain unchanged, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Hog prices lost 6.7 percent in mid-January compared with that in early January.

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