Means of production prices mostly rise in China

BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Most of the capital goods in China posted higher prices in late February compared with mid-February, official data showed Saturday.

Of the 50 goods monitored by the government, which include seamless steel tubes, gasoline, coal, fertilizer, and some agricultural products mainly used for processing, 30 posted rising prices, 15 registered lower prices and five remained unchanged, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Hog prices gained 6 percent in late February to 15.8 yuan (about 2.3 U.S. dollars) per kg, NBS data showed.

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