Inflation at 13-month low of 4.39 per cent

The annual rate of inflation based on the wholesale price index, calculated on point to point basis, stood at a 13-month low at 4.39 per cent (provisional) for the week ended 31 January 2009 as compared to 5.07 per cent (provisional) for the previous week (ended 24 January 2009) and 4.74 per cent during the corresponding week (ended 02 February)  of the previous year.

The official wholesale price index for 'all commodities' (Base: 1993-94 = 100) for the week under review declined by 0.74 per cent to 228.4 (provisional) from 230.1  (provisional) for the previous week.

The index for the 'primary articles' group declined by 0.2 per cent to 248.5 (provisional) from 249.0 (provisional) for the previous week.

Among primary articles, the index for  'food articles' group declined by 0.3 per cent to 244.7 (provisional) from 245.4 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of condiments and spices and fruits and vegetables (-3 per cent each) and barley and tea (-1 per cent each).  However, the prices of jowar (7 per cent), bajra   and maize (3 per cent each), arhar and urad (2 per cent each) and wheat, moong and rice (1 per cent each) moved up.
 
The index for 'non-food articles' group rose marginally to 231.0 (provisional) from 230.9 (provisional) in the previous week due to higher prices of tobacco and castor seed (5per cent each), niger seed (4 per cent) and raw rubber (3 per cent). However, the prices of raw cotton and linseed (-1 per cent each) declined.

The annual rate of inflation, calculated on point-to-point basis, for 'primary articles' stood at 9.09 per cent (provisional) for the week under review as compared to 9.02 per cent (provisional) in the previous week. It was 5.95 per cent as of 2 February 2008, ie, a year ago.

The index for the`fuel, power, light and lubricants' group declined by 3.1 per cent to 321.8 (provisional) from 332.0  (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of lignite (-21 per cent), petrol (-11 per cent), LPG (-8 per cent) and high speed diesel oil (-7 per cent)
 
The index for the manufactured products  group declined by 0.1 per cent to 200.6 (provisional) from 200.8 (provisional) for the previous week.

The index for the 'food products' group rose by 0.2 per cent to 212.8 (provisional) from 212.3 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of ghee (2 per cent) and sugar, gingelly oil, gur and rice bran oil (1 per cent each).  However, the prices of groundnut oil (-3 per cent), imported edible oil and rape and mustard oil (-2 per cent each) and coconut oil and unrefined oil (-1 per cent each) declined.
 
The index for 'beverages tobacco and tobacco products' group declined by 2.1 per cent to 292.6 (provisional) from 299.0 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of India made foreign spirit (-15 per cent).
 
The index for the 'textiles' group declined by 0.8 per cent to 140.0 (provisional) from 141.1 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of polyster yarn (-11 per cent), dhoties,sarees and voils (-6 per cent), cotton yarn-cones, cotton yarn-hanks and nylon filament yarn (-1 per cent each). However, the prices of cotton grey drills and jeans (3 per cent), cotton grey cloth (others) (2 per cent) and viscose filament yarn (1 per cent) moved up.
 
The index for 'wood and wood products' group rose by 0.3 per cent to 237.6 (provisional) from 237.0 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of plywood commercial planks (1 per cent).
 
The index for 'paper and paper products' group declined by 0.5 per cent to 204.7 (provisional) from 205.8 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of kraft paper (-4 per cent) and mg poster paper (-3 per cent).
 
The index for 'leather and leather products' group rose 0.7 per cent to 169.5 (provisional) from 168.3 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of footwear western type (1 per cent).
 
The index for 'Chemicals & Chemical Products' group rose by 0.2 per cent to 216.9 (provisional) from 216.5 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of ointments (5 per cent), BOPP film and tablets except vitamin and penicillin (3 per cent each) and soda ash (sodium carbonate) and ayurvedic medicine liquids (1 per cent each). However, the prices of titanium dioxide (-16 per cent), monocrotophos (-13 per cent), benzene (-12 per cent), pigments (-7 per cent), organic pigments (-6 pr cent), endosulfan (-5 per cent), liquid chlorine (-3 per cent) and acid (all kinds) (-1 per cent) declined.
 
The index for 'non-metallic mineral products' group rose 0.05 per cent to 215.6 ([provisional) from 215.5 (provisional) for the previous week due to marginal increase in the prices of cement.
 
The index for 'machinery and machine tools' group declined by 0.2 per cent to 175.6 (provisional) from 176.0 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of cranes (-10 per cent) and ceiling fans (-3 per cent).
 
The index for 'transport equipment and parts' group declined by 0.6 per cent to 176.0 (provisional) from 177.1 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of springs (-31 per cent) and auto-rickshaws (-4 per cent).
 
The final rate of inflation for 6 December 2008 has been revised to 6.56  per cent against 6.84 per cent (provisional)  reported earlier.
 
The final wholesale price index for 'All Commodities' (Base:1993-94=100) stood at  230.5  as compared to 231.1  (provisional), the release added.