Inflation inches higher

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for the week ended May 9 rose by 0.2% to 232.0 from 231.6 for the previous week. The annual inflation, calculated on a point to point basis stood at 0.61% during the week under review compared to 0.48% in the week ended May 2. Inflation was at 8.57% during the comparable week of the previous year. The Government also revised inflation rate for the week ended March 14 to 0.71% from a preliminary forecast of 0.27%.

The index for Primary Articles rose by 0.5% to 256.0 from 254.7 in the previous week. The index for Manufactured Products rose by 0.1% to 203.3 from 203.0 in the previous week. The index for Food Products group rose by 0.4% to 231.4 and the index for Textiles group rose by 0.6% to 141.2 from 140.4. On the other hand, the index for Fuel, Power, Lights & Lubricants remained unchanged at its previous week's level of 323.7 and the index for Paper & Paper Products group declined by 0.2%.