The Hindu Business Line : Lower energy prices peg inflation at 5.29%

The annual wholesale price index increased 5.29 per cent during the week ended November 11, marginally lower than the previous week's annual rise of 5.30 per cent.

The dip in the year-on-year inflation rate was mainly on account of lower energy prices, the Government data showed on Friday.

Food costlier

During the latest reported week, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for all commodities rose 0.05 per cent to 208.9 points as manufactured and non-food items turned slightly costlier.

The index was 198.4 points during the corresponding week a year ago. The annual inflation rate was at 4.09 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year. On a disaggregated basis, the primary articles' group index was up 0.1 per cent to 214.5 points as some food and non-food items turned costlier during the latest reported week.

The index was at 200.5 points during the corresponding week a year ago.

Milk cheaper

The manufactured products group index rose 0.1 per cent to 180.1 points as prices moved up for food products, chemicals, cement and base metals. The index was 172.2 points a year ago.

Among the Primary Articles' group, the Food Articles' group index declined marginally to 218.5 points due to lower prices of gram and milk (2 per cent each), vegetables and masur (1 per cent each). However, prices rose for eggs (10 per cent), maize (4 per cent), fruits and jowar (2 per cent each), barley, bajra and wheat (1 per cent each).

The non-food articles group index was up 0.7 per cent to 188.4 points due to increase in prices of logs and timber (14 per cent), rape and mustard seed and groundnut seed (1 per cent each). But, prices fell for raw rubber (3 per cent) and raw cotton (1 per cent).

Among the manufactured products' group, the food products' group index rose by 0.7 per cent to 184.1 points due to an increase in prices of oil cakes (4 per cent), bran and rice bran oil (3 per cent each), coconut oil (2 per cent), sunflower oil and gingelly oil (1 per cent each). But khandsari and gur became cheaper by two per cent.

Zinc higher

Base Metals Alloys and Metal Products group index was up 0.2 per cent to 237.9 points due to higher prices of zinc (6 per cent), steel furniture (4 per cent), zinc ingots and bolts and nuts (3 per cent each) and lead ingots (2 per cent).

The Government revised the final inflation figure to 5.27 per cent from the provisional 4.56 per cent for the week ended September 16, while WPI stood corrected at 207.7 points as against the earlier estimate of 206.3 points.