Inflation rate dips to 5.64 per cent

During the reference week, the index inched up 0.1 per cent to 153.5 (P) as against 153.4 (P) in the previous week on account of increase in the indices of primary articles and manufactured products by 0.1 per cent each.

Index of fuel, power, light and lubricants remained unchanged for the second consecutive week. The final inflation rate for the week ended July eight stood at 6.40 per cent as against 5.92 per cent based on provisional index during the same period.

The final WPI was 152.9 in the second week of July as against 152.2 (P) during July 23 this year.

The index for primary articles rose 0.1 per cent to 162.6 from the previous week’s level of 162.5 as prices of food and non-food items rose by an equivalent proportion. Primary articles price index of 162.6 this year was 17.3 points higher than last year’s final index of 145.3.

Food articles group index was up by 0.1 per cent at 169.9 (P) till September 2 this year from the previous week’s 169.8 due to higher prices of barley, fruit and vegetables (one per cent each).

However, the prices of maize fell by three per cent, fish-inland was cheaper by two per cent, and jowar, bajra and fish-marine by one per cent each.

Index for Non-food articles group rose to 147.9 (P) as against the previous week’s level of 147.8 due to higher prices of raw silk (14 per cent), skins raw (three per cent), fooder (two per cent) and raw cotton (one per cent).

There was, however, decline in prices of raw rubber by two per cent, while it was one per cent for cotton seed and gingelly seed.

Although the index for fuel, power, light and lubricants remained unchanged at 198.3 as compared to the previous week’s level, it was quite higher when compared to the previous year’s final index of 157.5.