The Hindu Business Line : Inflation continues to rise, touches 6.52 pc

CONTINUING its rising trend, inflation touched its highest level in nearly five months, with wholesale price index (WPI) at 6.52 per cent for the week ended July 10.

The index rose in spite of primary items such as vegetables and fruits and some manufactured products becoming cheaper, according to data released by the Government on Friday.

Inflation touched 6.16 per cent during the previous week. WPI was up marginally by 0.1 per cent to 184.6 points during the latest reported week. The index stood at 173.3 points in the corresponding period a year ago. .

According to the data, the index of mass consumption primary articles' group was down by 0.1 per cent to 185.1 points due to fall in prices of food and non-food articles. The index stood at 180.5 points the previous year. The fuel, power, light and lubricants' group index remained firm at the previous week's level of 274.9 points compared to 249.3 points a year ago.

The index of the heavy-weighted manufactured products' group rose by 0.2 per cent to 164.3 points though food prices were unchanged. Textiles, chemicals, basic metals alloys and machinery became costlier. The index was at 153.9 points during the corresponding week the previous year.

The food articles' group index declined by 0.1 per cent to 183.3 points owing to lower prices of beef and buffalo meat (seven per cent), condiments and spices (two per cent) and maize and fruits and vegetables (one per cent each). However, prices rose for fish-marine (three per cent), fish-inland and bajra (two per cent each) and eggs and barley (one per cent each).

The index of the non-food articles' group was down by 0.1 per cent to 192.5 points due to cheaper raw silk (four per cent), rape and mustard seed (two per cent) and castor seed and gingelly seed (one per cent each), even as there was a two per cent hike in the price of raw rubber and copra.

The index of food products' group stood unchanged at the previous week's level of 173.5 points though prices increased for rice bran oil (two per cent), imported edible oil, salt and sunflower oil (one per cent each). However, there was a one per cent dip in the prices of ghee and solvent extracted groundnut oil. he index of machinery and machine tools' group was up by 0.2 per cent to 135.2 points on account of a seven per cent increase in the price of poly vinyl chloride insulated cables and a one per cent in complete engines.