Wholesale prices up 9.3 in Nov yryr vs f39;cast 8.9
Fuel costs continue to rise but pace moderating data
Global commodity price fall affecting some goods prices

TOKYO, Dec 12 Reuters Japan39;s November wholesale prices rose 9.3 from a year earlier, data showed on Monday, a rate of increase that was almost unchanged from the previous month and showed initial signs of an inflation peak amid easing global commodity prices.

It was the 21st consecutive month to show an annual rise in wholesale prices.

While food and energy costs continued to rise, the data may offer some relief for Japan39;s economy, which relies almost entirely on imports for fuel and raw material.

The rise in the corporate goods price index, which measures prices that companies charge each other for goods and services, exceeded market forecasts for a 8.9 percent gain but was slightly below the revised 9.4 annual increase seen in October.

The index, at 118.5, reached its highest ever level.

The yenbased import price index in November was 28.2 higher than a year earlier, slowing sharply from October39;s revised annual surge of 42.3, according to the Bank of Japan BOJ data. The currency has rebounded from multidecade lows, moderating rises in import costs.

Companies were passing on rising raw material costs for a broad range of goods. But some goods saw the impact of recent easing of global commodity prices, a BOJ official told a briefing.

Petroleum and coal goods prices were up 0.5 in November from…