The Hindu Business Line : Inflation up on costlier fuel, manufactured items

The annual wholesale price index-based inflation rose 3.55 per cent during the week ended April 15, higher than the previous week's annual rise of 3.24 per cent. The increase in the year-on-year inflation rate was mainly on account of higher fuel and manufactured products, according to data release here on Friday by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) ended the latest reported week at 198.5 points, up from 191.7 points a year ago. The inflation rate was up 5.91 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year.

Food articles fall

On a disaggregated basis, the Primary Articles' group index dipped 0.4 per cent to 194.3 points due to a fall in prices of food articles while non-food items turned costlier during the week. The index was 188 points during the same period a year ago. The Fuel, Power, Light and Lubricants group index rose marginally to 316.8 points, mainly due to a 3 per cent increase in prices of aviation turbine fuel. The index was 293.2 points a year ago.

Manufactured products

The Manufactured Products group index rose 0.9 per cent to 173.5 points due to an increase in prices of food, textiles, chemicals, non-metallic minerals, base metals and machinery. The index was at 170.4 points during the same period a year ago period.

Non-food items dearer

In the case of the Primary Articles' group, the Food Articles group index was down 0.6 per cent to 196.7 points due to lower prices of poultry chicken, (6 per cent), wheat and barley (4 per cent each), fruits and vegetables and bajra (2 per cent each). The index for Non-Food Articles group rose 0.8 per cent to 176.6 points owing to higher prices of sunflower (6 per cent), raw rubber (5 per cent), raw cotton (2 per cent), and groundnut seed, castor seed and niger seed (1 per cent each).

Minerals' group

The index for Chemicals and Chemical Products group was up 0.5 per cent to 190 points owing to higher prices of liquid injectables other than vitamins (7 per cent), tablets except vitamin and penicillin (3 per cent), syrup (2 per cent) and ointments (1 per cent).