Mainland consumer prices rose in February for the first time since August, data showed on Saturday, bucking a months-long stretch of deflation.

The consumer price index rose 0.7 percent last month, according to Beijing's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), marking the first increase since August and up from a sharp 0.8 percent drop in January.

Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had expected a 0.3 percent rise.

China slipped into deflation in July for the first time since 2021 and, apart from a brief rebound in August, prices have been in constant decline since.

Consumer prices traditionally see a boost during the Lunar New Year period, which fell in February this year.

Producer prices continued to fall in February, dropping by 2.7 percent, the NBS said on Saturday. (AFP)