China factory gate prices hit 45-month high in April

China producer prices rose 2.8% in April, hitting a 45-month high as energy costs surged. The figure exceeded the 1.6% growth predicted by a Reuters poll and follows a 0.5% increase in March. Rising factory-gate costs signal persistent inflationary pressure on global supply chains and manufacturing margins.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed the producer price index (PPI) accelerated for the second consecutive month. This trend follows a 41-month period of declining prices that ended in March.