TOKYO, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Japan's wholesale prices rose 6.8 percent year on year in September, preliminary data from the Bank of Japan (BOJ) showed Tuesday.
Although the growth in the prices of goods traded between companies slowed from 7.6 percent in August, it remained elevated, reflecting higher prices of petroleum-related products amid tensions in the Middle East.
Almost all product categories posted year-on-year price increases, with nonferrous metals, plastic products, and petroleum and coal products among those rising more than 10 percent.
The data come as the BOJ weighs the timing of its next interest rate hike. The central bank raised its policy rate by 0.25 percentage points to a 31-year high of 1.25 percent at its September meeting and has two policy meetings remaining this year, scheduled for October and December.
Meanwhile, import prices soared 24.5 percent from a year earlier, while export prices jumped 17.9 percent. ■