China’s deflationary pressures eased slightly in August as consumer prices rose and producer price declines moderated, adding to signs the worst may be over for some parts of the economy. The consumer price index rose 0.1% last month from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said Saturday. The increase followed July’s drop of 0.3% — the first decline in more than two years. Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy costs, climbed 0.8%. Producer prices fell 3%, easing from a decrease of 4.4% in July. Factory-gate deflation has persisted for almost a year. The data came as China searches ... (full story)