While China's producer price index rose in October from a year earlier, the growth rate declined for the first time since May, according to the National Bureau of Statistics on Friday.

Statistics show that the producer price index rose 2.9 percent over the same period last year, but was lower than September's 3.5 percent increase.

Prices for production materials increased 3.8 percent. Producer prices for crude oil increased 9.2 percent, while the price of gas, kerosene and diesel oil were up 14.7 percent, 13.2 percent and 11.7 percent year on year, respectively.

Statistics show that from January to October, the industrial producer price increased 2.9 percent, a decline of 2.4 percentage points year on year.

The main gauge of inflation rose 1.3 percent in the first three quarters of the year compared with the same period in 2005, according to the latest data released by the government.

Source: Xinhua