Inflation rate eases to -1.54 per cent

The annual rate of inflation based on the wholesale price index stood at -1.54 per cent (provisional) for the week ended 18 July 2009 compared to -1.17 per cent (provisional) for the previous week.

The inflation rate stood at 12.54 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year (ended 19 July 2008).

The official wholesale price index for 'all commodities' (base: 1993-94 = 100) for the week under review rose 0.04 per cent to 236.8 (provisional) from 236.7 (provisional) for the previous week.

The index for the `primary articles' group rose 0.3 per cent to 261.1 (provisional) from 260.3 (provisional) for the previous week.

Under the primary group, the index for the 'food articles' group rose 1.2 per cent to 259.0 (provisional) from 255.9 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of mutton (14 per cent), arhar (9 per cent), gram (4 per cent), moong, jowar, fruits and vegetables and masur (3 per cent each), bajra and urad (2 per cent each) and maize and ragi (1 per cent each). However, the prices of condiments and spices (-1 per cent) declined.

The index for the 'non-food articles' group rose 1.7 per cent to 242.5 (provisional) from 238.4 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of logs and timber (35 per cent), copra (3 per cent), raw silk (2 per cent) and rape and mustard seed, raw cotton and gingelly seed (1 per cent each). However, the prices of sunflower (-1 per cent) declined.