Inflation rate unchanged at 0.61 per cent

The annual rate of inflation based on the wholesale price index for the week ended 16 May 2008 remained unchanged at its previous week's level of 0.61 per cent (provisional). The inflation rate stood at 8.66 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year (ended 17 May 2008).

The official wholesale price index for 'all commodities' (base: 1993-94 = 100) for the week ended 16 May 2009 rose 0.1 per cent to 232.2 (provisional) from 232.0 (provisional) for the previous week.

The index for the `primary articles' group rose marginally to 256.1 (provisional) from 256.0 (provisional) for the previous week. 

Among primary articles, the index for the 'food articles' group declined marginally to 251.4 (provisional) from 251.5 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of gram, fruits and vegetables and jowar (-1 per cent each). However, the prices of tea (10 per cent), barley (2 [per cent) and bajra, moong and urad (1 per cent each) moved up.

The index for 'non-food articles' group rose 0.2 per cent to 234.7 (provisional) from 234.3 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of raw cotton (2 per cent) and linseed (1 per cent). However, the prices of raw rubber (-5 per cent), copra (-2 per cent) and niger seed (-1 per cent) declined.

The index for the 'minerals' group rose marginally to 675.4 (provisional) from 675.2 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of barytes (19 per cent), feldspar (2 per cent) and asbestos and fluorite (1 per cent each).
 
The index for the `fuel, power, light and lubricants' group rose 0.1 per cent to 324.0 (provisional) from 323.7 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of aviation turbine fuel and furnace oil (-2 per cent each).

The index for the `manufactured products' group rose 0.1 per cent to 203.5 (provisional) from 203.3 (provisional) for the previous week.

Among manufactured products, the index for the 'food products' group rose 0.5 per cent to 232.6 (provisional) from 231.4 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of bagasse (25 per cent), unrefined oil (21 per cent), malted food (7 per cent), imported edible oil (3 per cent) and khandsari (1 per cent). However, the prices of rice bran oil (-2 per cent) and cotton seed oil (-1 per cent) declined.

The index for the 'beverages, tobacco and tobacco products' group rose 0.1 per cent to 302.4 (provisional) from 302.0 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of potable country liquor (7 per cent). However, the prices of rectified spirit (-1 per cent) declined.

The index for the 'textiles' group declined 0.1 per cent to 141.0 (provisional) from 141.2 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of cotton yarn-'hanks and polyester staple fibre (-1 per cent each). However, the prices of nylon filament yarn, viscose filament yarn and cotton yarn-cones (1 per cent each) moved up.

The index for the 'transport equipment and parts' group declined 0.1 per cent to 175.1 (provisional) from 175.2 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of bicycles (-1 per cent).

The final inflation rate for the week ended 21 March 2009 stood at 0.84 per cent against the provisional estimate of 0.31 per cent reported earlier (2 April 2009) as the final wholesale price index for 'all commodities' has been revised to 228.5 from the 227.3 (provisional).