China inflation to be 3 pct y/y in May, June -NDRC

BEIJING, May 18 (Reuters) - Chinese consumer prices will rise about 3 percent from a year earlier in both May and June, the National Development and Reform Commission said on Tuesday.

It added in a statement on its website that inflation will average about 2.5 percent in the first half of 2010 compared with a year ago.

Chinese consumer price inflation averaged 2.2 percent in the first quarter and hit an 18-month high of 2.8 percent in April.

(Reporting by Aileen Wang Simon Rabinovitch; editing by Ken Wills) (([e-mail]; [phone]; Reuters Messaging: [e-mail])) Keywords: CHINA ECONOMY/INFLATION (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to [e-mail]) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.