Wholesale prices rise at slowest annual pace since April 2021
Rise in utility bills, food prices moderates
Yenbased import prices fall at fastest pace since July 2020

TOKYO, July 12 Reuters Japan39;s wholesale inflation slowed for a sixth straight month in June due to sliding fuel and commodity prices, data showed on Wednesday, a sign the costpush pressure that drove up consumer prices is steadily easing.

The data underscores the central bank39;s view that consumer inflation will slow in coming months as global commodity prices slide from last year39;s peak levels.

Sectors like beverage and food makers continue to pass on higher raw material costs. But the pace appears to be moderating, Masato Higashi, head of the Bank of Japan39;s price statistics division, told a briefing.

The corporate goods price index CGPI, which measures the price companies charge each other for their goods and services, rose 4.1 in June from a year earlier, data showed, slower than a median market forecast for a 4.3 increase.

The rise, which followed a 5.2 gain in May, was the slowest annual pace since April 2021, data by the BOJ showed.

The main factor behind the slowdown was utility and gas bills which rose 5.3 in June from a year earlier, much smaller than a 12.8 gain in May. Food and beverage prices increased 7.4 in June, smaller than a 8.0 gain in May, the data showed.

The yenbased import prices fell 11.3 in June from a year earlier, the biggest annual drop since July 2020,…