Inflation crosses 8 pc once again

NEW DELHI, SEPT 6: The annual rate of inflation rose above the eight per cent mark once again and touched 8.21 per cent for the week ended August 22. Inflation based on the wholesale price index (WPI) increased by 0.27 percentage points during the week from 7.94 per cent to 8.21 per cent, more than double the 3.65 per cent recorded in the corresponding week last year.

This is the first time in five weeks that inflation is showing an upward trend. It had been sliding ever since it touched a 139-week high of 8.32 per cent on July 25.

The sudden spurt is mainly due to a resurgence in the prices of primary articles. The index for this major group rose by 0.7 per cent during the week. The official index for “all commodities” (base:1981-82=100) increased to 353.2 (provisional).