Huaian’s consumer price index (CPI), a main gauge of inflation, rose 2.1 percent year on year in 2018, 0.2 percentage point higher than the growth rate in 2017.
To be more specific, prices for food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco rose 1.6 percent and 1.8 percent for living supplies and services. Prices for transport and communication, education, culture and entertainment, medical products and services increased by 1.7 percent, 4.6 percent, 1.5 percent and 4.3 percent respectively.
The pickup was mainly driven by the increase in the income level of residents, the upgrade of consumption and the rising labor costs.
