China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Friday in a report that the ex-factory price index of industrial goods rose 5.9 percent in May from the same month in the year 2004.

The purchasing price of raw materials and fuel saw a year-on- year increase of 9.9 percent.

The report showed the overall price level of industrial goods rose 6 percentage points in May due to an increase of 8.2 percent of the ex-factory price of means of production. The ex-factory price of consumer goods dropped by 0.3 percent.

The ex-factory price of crude oil saw a year-on-year rise of 43. 4 percent, with that of the gasoline increasing by 20.3 percent, kerosene 12.7 percent, and diesel oil 22.1 percent.

The price of coal reported an increase of 25.9 percent and that of steel, 2.3 percent.

The purchasing prices of fuels, ferrous metals, non-ferrous metal and raw materials for the chemical industry rose 18.9, 8.9, 15.4 and 11.4 percent respectively in May from May in 2004, the NBS said.

Source: Xinhua