Chinese inflation at five-year low

Beijing - Inflation in China was just 1.6% year-on-year in October, unchanged from the previous month, and the lowest since January 2010, officials said on Monday.

Inflation for the first 10 months of the year was 2.1%, well within the government's upper limit of 3.5%, the National Bureau of Statistics said.

Prices in October were flat compared with September, it said. September saw a 0.5% monthly rise.

The low inflation was within the predictions of experts and gives the government some room for monetary stimulus.

China's economy has cooled after around a decade of double-digit growth, to 7.3% year-on-year in the third quarter.

Beijing has stated a target of 7.5% growth for the year.