China's producer price index (PPI), which measures costs for goods at the factory gate, went up 3.5 percent year on year in July, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said. From January to July, the PPI increased by an average of 1.8 percent year on year.

A breakdown of the data showed that stronger price gains were seen in sectors that included oil and gas extraction, non-ferrous metal mining and dressing, coal mining and washing, electrical machinery and equipment manufacturing, and computer, communication and other electronic equipment manufacturing, according to NBS statistician Dong Lijuan. On a month-on-month basis, PPI dipped 0.7 percent last month, the NBS data showed.

Quality consumption grew at a relatively fast pace, with prices in smart household consumer devices and skincare cosmetics manufacturing increasing by 3.4 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively. (Xinhua)