The Hindu Business Line : Costlier food, energy rates push up inflation

THE annual wholesale price index-based inflation rose 4.24 per cent during the week ended October 1, accelerating from a week-earlier annual rise of 3.97 per cent.

The surge in the year-on-year inflation was largely on account of higher food, industrial fuels and manufactured product prices, according to the data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry here.

The Wholesale Price Index touched 196.9 points during the week, up from 188.9 points a year ago. The inflation rate was at 7.15 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year.

During the latest reported week, the Primary Articles' group went up to touch 194.6 points as prices of food items rose by 0.8 per cent and non-food items turned costlier by 0.3 per cent.

The Fuel, Power, Light and Lubricants' group index rose 315 points as aviation turbine fuel became costlier by five per cent, bitumen by two per cent and naphtha by one per cent.

Among the Primary Articles' group, the Food Articles group index rose to 197.1 points as fruits and vegetables became costlier by four per cent, arhar and bajra (two per cent each) and eggs (one per cent). However, prices fell for masur, condiments and spices (two per cent each), maize, moong, ragi and fish marine (one per cent each).

Among the Manufactured Products' group, the index for food products fell 0.3 per cent to 177.5 points due to cheaper blended tea leaf (six per cent), bagasse (two per cent), oil cakes and coconut oil (one per cent each).

However, prices rose for all kinds of bran (three per cent), rape and mustard oil, sooji, gur, khandsari, imported edible oil and groundnut oil (one per cent each).

The Government also revised upward the inflation figure to 3.78 per cent for the week ended August 6, from provisional 3.35 per cent, while the WPI stood corrected at 194.9 points as against the earlier estimate of 194.1 points.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
`Low' crosses land; rain belt moving northward

Teles India router `helps cos cut phone bills'

Costlier food, energy rates push up inflation

Gas shortage leaves power utilities struggling

GAIL scouting for equity partners for Nabuko project

Cipla to launch generic drug for bird flu

H-1B visa holders being paid lower wages, says US tech workers' group

Bank stocks pull down market; Sensex sheds 175 points

Citigroup to focus on organic growth — Dedicates financial literacy centre to Indian School of Microfinance for Women