BEIJING, Rajab 20, 1436, May 9, 2015, SPA -- China's inflation rate rose slightly to 1.5 percent in April, up from the previous month's 1.4 percent, but still provides plenty room for monetary easing for the world's second-largest economy, according to official data released Saturday and quoted by AP. The latest consumer price index was lower than in March but went up 1.5 percent year over year. The inflation rate increased 1.3 percent in the first four months over the same period last year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. The inflation rate came in lower than expected, which will leave room for the government to ease its monetary policies. China's economy grew 7.4 percent last year, the lowest growth in more than two decades. The economic slowdown is expected to persist. --SPA 11:48 LOCAL TIME 08:48 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w