By Li Hongmei

China's economic data for November are expected to reflect stable growth momentum and inflation may fall for the first time in three months, analysts said ahead of their release next week.

The Consumer Price Index, the main gauge of inflation, will likely rise 3.1 percent from a year earlier in November, but down from an eight-month high of 3.2 percent in October, some analysts predicted.

"The figures will have very small movement, indicating economic stability," said Lu Zhengwei, chief economist at Industrial Bank. "The inflationary pressure will ease a bit, helping to comfort market liquidity conditions."

But Tang Jianwei, an economist at the Bank of Communications, said China may have to confront higher inflation next year.

"Based on past experience, the upward cycle of inflation will last for about two years, with the peak in the second year," Tang said. "We expect there will be heavier inflationary pressure next year, and the peak will be stronger than this year's 3.2 percent record."

Lu also said it is unlikely that China can reverse the upward trend of inflation in the short term.

However, the Producer Price Index, the factory-gate inflation measurement, may fall 1.4 percent last month, narrowing from the drop of 1.5 percent in October.

Retail sales, expected to stand out in the data due to the Single Day's online shopping frenzy last month, may rise 13.5 percent, up from October's pace of 13.3 percent.

Exports and imports may stabilize after performing strongly in the past three months, while fixed-asset investment may continue to grow at around 20.1 percent.

Data already released showed that both China's manufacturing activity and service activity were resilient in November, with the official Purchasing Managers' Index at a 19-month high of 51.4 and the reading for non-manufacturing PMI at 56.