China consumer prices improve in September, producer prices turn positive in 4 years

Consumer prices in China improved during the month of September, while producer prices turned positive for the first time in four years, raising optimism that spare capacity in the economy was beginning to ease.

The consumer price index (CPI) advanced 1.9 percent from a year ago, following a 1.3 percent increase in August, the National Bureau of Statistics reported Friday. A median estimate of economists forecast CPI inflation to improve to 1.6 percent.

Compared to August, consumer inflation climbed 0.7 percent, following a 0.1 percent increase the prior month. Economists projected a 0.3 percent gain over the previous month.

Further, the producer price index (PPI) edged up 0.1 percent in the 12 months through September. That was the first increase since 2012, ending a stretch of four-and-half years of declining prices.

Meanwhile, a separate report on Thursday from the Ministry of Commerce showed foreign direct investment (FDI) rose at an annualized 4.2 percent in the year to September, down from 4.5 percent the previous month.