The Hindu Business Line : Inflation rate unchanged at 7.82% for week ended May 10

New Delhi, May 23 The annual Wholesale Price Index-based inflation rose 7.82 per cent during the week ended May 10, practically unchanged from the previous week’s annual rise of 7.83 per cent.

The one basis-point fall in the year-on-year inflation rate, which came after 13 consecutive weeks, showing a rising trend, was mainly on account of a higher base last year.

The annual rate of inflation stood at 5.62 per cent during the corresponding week a year ago.

On a disaggregated basis, the ‘primary articles’ group index rose by 0.2 per cent as the index for ‘food articles’ group declined marginally due to lower prices of fruits and vegetables, and moong (2 per cent each) and gram and urad (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of tea (4 per cent) and condiments and spices, fish-marine, mutton, rice, maize and wheat (1 per cent each) moved up.

Other group indices

The index for ‘non-food articles’ group rose by 0.9 per cent due to higher prices of safflower (kardi seed) (15 per cent), raw rubber (8 per cent), raw cotton (2 per cent) and groundnut seed (1 per cent). The fuel, power, light and lubricants group index rose by 0.1 per cent due to higher prices of aviation turbine fuel (10 per cent).

The ‘manufactured products’ group index rose by 0.2 per cent as the index for the ‘food products’ group declined by 0.2 per cent due to lower prices of unrefined oil (13 per cent), khandsari (12 per cent), gingelly oil (3 per cent) and rape and mustard oil and groundnut oil (1 per cent each). However, the prices of soyabean oil (10 per cent), gur (3 per cent), cotton seed oil (2 per cent) and skimmed milk powder, imported edible oil, rice bran oil and cattle feed (1 per cent each) moved up.

The index for the ‘textiles’ group rose by 0.6 per cent due to higher prices of cotton shirtings (14 per cent), hessian and sacking bags (7 per cent), hessian cloth (5 per cent), viscose staple fibre (4 per cent) and other cotton yarn (1 per cent). However, the prices of polyester staple fibre (5 per cent) and cotton grey cloth (others) (2 per cent) declined. The index for ‘paper and paper products’ group declined by 0.2 per cent due to lower prices of duplex board (9 per cent), cream laid woven paper (2 per cent) and poster paper and printing paper white (1 per cent each). However, the prices of newsprint (2 per cent) moved up.

The index for ‘rubber and plastic products’ group rose by 0.1 per cent due to higher prices of cycle tyres (3 per cent). The index for ‘chemicals and chemical products’ group rose by 0.3 per cent due to higher prices of monocrotophos (21 per cent), calcium ammonium nitrate n-content (10 per cent), endosulfan (7 per cent), blasting powder (5 per cent), polystyene (2 per cent) and liquid chlorine (1 per cent). However, the prices of liquid nitrogen and acetylene (2 per cent each) declined.

The index for ‘machinery and machine tools’ group rose by 0.1 per cent due to higher prices of dry cell and electrical generators (4 per cent each) and air and gas compressors (1 per cent). However, the prices of other textile machinery, ring spinning and doubling frames and roller bearings (1 per cent each) declined. The index for ‘transport, equipment and parts’ group rose by 0.7 per cent for the previous week due to higher prices of crank shafts (21 per cent) and other automobile spare parts (9 per cent).