China CPI climbs at slowest pace in 13 months

China’s consumer price index (CPI), a major gauge of inflation, rose at the lowest rate in 13 months in February, signaling that the slowing pace of growth rather than rising prices pose a bigger risk to the economy, Reuters reported. The CPI rose 2% from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said yesterday, exactly in line with market expectations. Pork prices fell 9%. The tepid price data could fuel investor worries about the health of the mainland economy, which drew new concerns after figures showed export growth slumped nearly a fifth last month.