China's consumer price index (CPI) rose by 1.2 percent in October from the same month last year, with urban areas up 1.2 percent and rural areas up 1.3 percent, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Friday.

The CPI rose by 1.9 percent year-on-year in the first ten months of this year, the NBS said.

Service prices, which were up by 3.1 percent in October, increased the most.

Foodstuff rose by 1.3 percent, non-food prices were up 1.2 percent and consumer product prices up 0.7 percent, according to NBS figures.

Foodstuff, furnishing materials, maintenance services, education, cultural goods, housing and recreation prices increased, while clothing, transportation and telecommunication prices went down.

(Xinhua News Agency November 11, 2005)