Inflation rate edges up to 0.61 per cent

The annual rate of inflation based on the wholesale price index for the week ended 9 May 2009 rose 0.13 points to 0.61 per cent (provisional) from 0.48 per cent (provisional) in the previous week (ended 2 May 2009) and 8.57 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year (ended 10 May 2008).

The official wholesale price index for 'all commodities' (Base: 1993-94 = 100) for the week ended 9 May 2009 rose 0.2 per cent to 232.0 (provisional) from 231.6 (provisional) for the previous week helped by a spike in the prices of food articles.

The index for the major group, `primary articles', rose 0.5 per cent to 256.0 (provisional) from 254.7 (provisional) for the previous week.

Among primary articles, the index for 'food articles' group rose 0.6 per cent to 251.5 (provisional) from 250.0 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of tea (11 per cent), ragi (4 per cent), bajra (3 per cent), jowar and condiments and spices (2 per cent each) and fruits and vegetables, moong, rice, wheat, masur and arhar (1 per cent each). However, the prices of urad (-4 per cent), barley (-2 per cent) and maize (-1 per cent) declined.

The index for 'non-food articles' group rose 0.4 per cent to 234.3 (provisional) from 233.3 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of raw cotton and raw silk (2 per cent each) and rape and mustard seed, gingelly seed and castor seed (1 per cent each). However, the prices of copra (-3 per cent) and raw rubber (-2 per cent) declined.

The index for the `fuel, power, light and lubricants' group remained unchanged at its previous week's level of 323.7 (provisional)
 
The index for the `manufactured products' group rose 0.1 per cent to 203.3 (provisional) from 203.0 (provisional) for the previous week.

Among manufactured products, the index for 'food products' group rose 0.4 per cent to 231.4 (provisional) from 230.5 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of rice bran oil (4 per cent), oil cakes (2 per cent) and gur, imported edible oil, bran (all kinds) and gingelly oil (1 per cent each). However, the prices of sooji (rawa), coconut oil and maida (-2 per cent each) and khandsari, salt and atta (-1 per cent each) declined.

The index for the 'textiles' group rose 0.6 per cent to 141.2 (provisional) from 140.4 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of synthetic yarn and hessian and sacking bags (4 per cent each) and hessian cloth (3 per cent).

The index for the 'paper and paper products' group declined 0.2 per cent to 203.5 (provisional) from 204.0 (provisional) for the previous week, due to lower prices of newsprint (-2 per cent) and other boards (all kinds) (-1 per cent).

The index for the 'chemicals and chemical products' group rose 0.05 per cent to 217.7 (provisional) from 217.6 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of carbon black (3 per cent). However, the prices of liquid chlorine (-3 per cent) and caustic soda (-1 per cent) declined.

The index for the 'basic metals alloys and metal products ' group rose 0.1 per cent to 255.7 (provisional) from 255.5 (provisional) for the previous week, due to higher prices of steel ingots (7 per cent), lead ingots (3 per cent) and zinc ingots and zinc (2 per cent each).

The final inflation rate for the week ended 14 March 2009 stood at 0.71 per cent as compared to 0.27 per cent (provisional) reported earlier (2 March 2009) as the final wholesale price index for 'all commodities' stood at 228.0 as compared to 227.0 (provisional).