Consumer prices in China rose 3% last month from a year earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported. The rise was slower than the 3.3% hike recorded in March. Beijing said the inflation rate was lower than the average forecast by most economists of 3.2%. Food prices continued to rise faster than other components, they jumped 7.1% from a year earlier. In March, they jumped 7.7%. Nonfood items grew only by 1%, according to figures by the National Bureau of Statistics, just a little less than the 1.1% hike recorded in March. Prices jumped 2.8% from a year earlier, between January to April. China is targeting a rise of no more than 3% for the year. Prices rose 1.5% in 2006. Economists maintained that China still needs more tightening because "loan growth is out of control, the stock market is out of control," said Dong Tao, an economist at Credit Suisse.