BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s consumer inflation eased in December, as producer price deflation continued, as Beijing increased policy support to shore up a faltering economy.

The consumer price index edged up 0.1% last month year-on-year, slowing from a 0.2% rise in November and the weakest pace since April, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed on Thursday. That was in line with predictions in a Reuters poll of economists.

CPI was flat month-on-month, versus a 0.6% decline in November and corresponding forecasts.

The producer price index fell 2.3% year-on-year in December, slower than the 2.5% fall in November and an expected 2.4% decline.