China's consumer prices maintained mild growth in the first half (H1) of 2026, while factory-gate prices registered a slightly expanded year-on-year increase in June, official data showed on Thursday, pointing to overall stable price levels as the economy maintains steady operation. The consumer price index (CPI), a main gauge of inflation, rose 1 percent year on year in the first six months of 2026, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed. In June alone, the CPI gained 1 percent year on year and edged down 0.3 percent month on month, with the core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, increasing by 1 percent year on year, continuing the moderate upward trend. Dong Lijuan, an NBS statistician, attributed the month-on-month CPI dip in June to seasonal factors and fluctuations in international market prices.

Shanghai has ranked second among leading international shipping centers, according to a report released Friday. Surpassing London, Shanghai secured the second spot in the 2026 Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Center Development Index (ISCDI), after Singapore, according to the report. It marks the city's highest-ever ranking since the index was introduced in 2014.