Inflation shoots to 8.01 per centNew Delhi, Dec 24: The point-to-point inflation rate based on Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for all commodities (Base: 1993-94 = 100) continued its rise to stand above eight per cent mark from 7.45 per cent in the previous week and a mere 2.53 per cent a year ago.The WPI rose by 0.3 per cent to 157.8 from the previous week's level of 157.3 and 146.1 a year ago.The final WPI for the week ending October 14 stood at157.8 as against the provisional index of 157.3.The final inflation rate during second week of October stood at 7.20 per cent as against the provisional level of 6.86 per cent.Primary articles became costlier by 1.1 per cent and so did manufactured items by 0.1 per cent while fuel items continued to remain unchanged.Primary Articles' group index rose to 163.2 from 161.4 a week ago due to a sharp 2.6 per cent increase in the prices of non food items and a 0.6 per cent increase in food items. The index was 156 a year ago.The index for food articles' group rose to 170.4 from 169.4 due to costlier fruits and vegetables and fish-inland (three per cent each), maize, gram and poultry chicken (two per cent each) and rice and barley (one per cent each).However, prices declined in the case of bajra and coffee (four per cent each) and urad and condiments and spices (one per cent each).The index for Non-Food Articles' group escalated to 148.9 from 145.1 on account of higher prices for sugarcane (11 per cent), fodder (two per cent) and raw silk (one per cent).Fuel, Power, Light and Lubricants' group index continued to remain firm for the second consecutive week at the previous figure of 217.9. However, the index was just 167.2 a year ago.Manufactured Products' group index rose marginally to 142.6 from 142.4 in the previous week due to increase in the prices of non-metallic mineral products, transport equipment, machinery and chemical items.The index of Non-Metallic Products' group rose sharply by2.3 per cent to 133.9 from 130.9 due to three per cent rise in the price of cement.Transport Equipment and Parts' group index increased by 0.4 per cent to 144.7 from 144.1 on account of two per cent rise in the price of car chassis assembled.Machinery and Machine Tools' group rose by 0.1 per cent to 125.2 from 125.1 because of two per cent rise in the price of batteries.The index for Chemical and Chemical Products' group rose by 0.1 per cent to 165.2 from 165.1 due to costlier soda-ash (three per cent) and phenol (two per cent). However, caustic soda became cheaper by one per cent.Food Products' group index remained firm at the previous week's mark of 145.4 despite one per cent rise in the price of atta and decline in the prices of gur (three per cent) and sooji (one per cent).
