1月物价数据点评：春节错月，物价“表冷里热”

Price Data Overview - January CPI increased by 0.2% month-on-month and 0.2% year-on-year, below the expected 0.44%[1] - Core CPI (excluding food and energy) rose by 0.8% year-on-year[1] - PPI increased by 0.4% month-on-month but decreased by 1.4% year-on-year, aligning with expectations[1] Key Insights - The lower-than-expected CPI in January is attributed to the late occurrence of the Spring Festival, affecting consumer demand[1] - CPI is expected to rise to around 1.4% year-on-year in February due to increased consumption during the Spring Festival[1] - Core CPI's month-on-month increase of 0.3% is the highest since July of the previous year, indicating some price improvements in services and durable goods[1] Sector Analysis - Medical services prices have shown a consistent upward trend, with a month-on-month increase of 0.4% and a year-on-year increase of 2.7%[2] - Travel and related services have seen price increases, but the overall service CPI rose only by 0.2% month-on-month, below the historical average of 0.6%[2] - Durable goods prices have increased, driven by rising raw material costs and government policies aimed at stabilizing prices in certain sectors[2] Food and Energy Impact - Food CPI remained flat at 0%, marking the lowest level for January since 2001, primarily due to a 4.8% drop in vegetable prices[2] - Energy prices decreased by 5.0% year-on-year, contributing to a downward pressure on CPI, with gasoline prices down by 11.4%[2] Future Outlook - The outlook for 2026 suggests a more optimistic price trend, with CPI expected to rise above 1% year-on-year starting in February and PPI potentially turning positive around mid-year[2] - The sustainability of price increases is a key concern, as the current price rise is largely supply-driven with limited demand-side improvements[2]