Means of production prices fall in China

BEIJING, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Most of the capital goods monitored by the Chinese government registered lower prices in mid-April compared with the beginning of the month, official data showed Sunday.

Of the 50 major goods monitored by the government, including seamless steel tubes, gasoline, coal, fertilizer and some chemicals, 20 reported rising prices during the period, 28 registered lower prices, while two saw prices remain unchanged, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Hog prices were up 4 percent in mid-April from the beginning of the month.

The readings, released every 10 days, are based on a survey of nearly 2,000 wholesalers and distributors in 31 provincial-level regions.