TOKYO, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Japan's corporate goods price index, which measures costs of goods traded between businesses, gained 0.6 percent year on year in February, the Bank of Japan said Tuesday.
According to preliminary figures from the central bank, the producer price index stood at 120.3 against the 2020 base of 100.
The growth rate increased 0.4 percentage points from January and exceeded the previous month reading for the first time in 14 months, partly boosted by the end of government subsidies for electricity and gas.
On a monthly basis, the index was up 0.2 percent from that in January, the central bank said.
Prices increased on about 400 of 515 items surveyed, and businesses are continuing to pass on the rising costs of foods and beverages, as well as that of raw materials and energy.
The corporate goods price index, one of the country's important inflation gauges, measures prices that companies charge each other for goods and services. ■