Slowing economy keeps inflation under control

The inflation rate eased to a four-month low in China during August, confirming that the economy remains under pressure and providing further room for policy fine-tuning.

The Consumer Price Index rose just 2 percent year-on-year last month, compared with a 2.3 percent gain in July, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday.

Food prices rose 3 percent and were the main driver of inflation, contributing 1.01 points of the total gain. Breaking down food by category, the price of fresh fruit surged 21.2 percent, while the price of pork, a staple of the Chinese diet, remained flat.