9月通胀数据点评：食品价格继续对冲核心通胀

Report Industry Investment Rating - The report does not provide an industry investment rating [1][3][5] Core Viewpoints - Food prices continue to offset core inflation, and the low inflation of food may be persistent due to the slowdown in catering consumption growth and abundant supply of edible agricultural products. Policy rate cuts may face increased difficulty in a scenario where the stock market remains strong [1][3][7] Summary by Related Content CPI Analysis - In September, the core CPI continued to stabilize trend - wise, with a year - on - year increase of 1.0%. However, food prices offset core inflation, resulting in a slight year - on - year decline in the overall CPI. Food price increases were hindered by the slowdown in catering consumption growth, which may be persistent as catering consumption is now driven only by per - capita consumption demand growth. Abundant supply of edible agricultural products also suppresses food prices [3][6][7] PPI Analysis - In September, the PPI was flat month - on - month and continued to stabilize year - on - year. In the coal - steel industry chain, the coking coal spot price index in late September was close to the average level in December last year, and the futures main contract closing price fluctuated around the December average. But the price index of downstream rebar still had a gap compared to the December average. The decline in international oil prices in the first two weeks of October may put pressure on the October PPI [12][13] Policy Rate Analysis - Considering the continued improvement of the year - on - year PPI and core CPI indicators in September, the urgency of policy rate cuts is limited. The narrowing of commercial banks' net interest margins may still be a constraint on policy rate cuts. With the strong stock market, the year - on - year growth rate of commercial banks' time and other deposits has declined. If the stock market remains strong, it may be more difficult for commercial banks to further reduce deposit rates, and thus policy rate cuts may also face increased difficulty [3][13]