WPI inflation a tad lower at 3.07% in April

Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 0.75 per cent compared to a build up rate of 0.86 per cent in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Inflation rate for the `primary products’ group, which has a weight of 22.62 per cent in the wholesale price index, rose 3.3 per cent in April 2019.

Among primary articles, inflation rate for the 'food articles' group rose 3.4 per cent due to higher prices of tea, fruits and vegetables, peas/chawali, maize, poultry chicken, arhar, bajra, rajma, gram, condiments & spices, masur, urad, mutton and pork. However, the prices of eggs, betel leaves, barley, wheat, beef and buffalo meat declined.

Inflation rate for the 'non-food articles' group rose 2.6 per cent due to higher prices of floriculture, safflower (kardi seed), raw cotton, niger seed, castor seed, gaur seed, soyabean, cotton seed, groundnut seed, skins (raw) raw silk, linseed, raw rubber and fodder. However, the prices of copra, raw jute and mesta, gingelly seed (sesamum), sunflower, rape & mustard seed and coir fibre declined.

Inflation rate for the 'minerals' group rose 5.3 per cent due to higher prices of sillimanite, copper concentrate and chromite. However, the prices of iron ore, lead concentrate, garnet, manganese ore and limestone declined.

Inflation rate for the 'crude petroleum and natural gas' group rose 2.4 per cent due to higher prices of natural gas and crude petroleum.

Inflation rate for the ‘fuel and power’ group, which has a weight of 13.15 per cent in the WPI, declined by 0.5 per cent in April 2019.

Within the fuel and power group, inflation rate for the 'mineral oils' group rose 0.4 per cent due to higher prices of LPG, naphtha, petrol, kerosene and ATF. However, the price of petroleum coke, furnace oil and HSD declined.

Inflation rate for the 'electricity' group declined by 3.1 per cent due to lower prices of electricity.

Inflation rate for the `manufactured products’ group, which has a weight of 64.23 per cent in the wholesale price index, remained unchanged at its previous month level in April 2019.

Within the manufactured products group, inflation rate for the 'food products' group rose 0.2 per cent due to higher prices of processed tea, honey, chicken/duck, (dressed - fresh/frozen), castor oil, gram powder (besan), processing and preserving of fish, crustaceans and molluscs and products thereof, buffalo meat, fresh/frozen, rapeseed oil, cocoa, chocolate and sugar confectionery, manufacture of starches and starch products, manufacture of health supplements, powder milk, processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables, sugar, spices (including mixed spices) and bagasse. However, the prices of molasses, groundnut oil, copra oil and maida, mustard oil, coffee powder with chicory, sooji (rawa ), macaroni, noodles, couscous and similar farinaceous products and wheat flour (atta), instant coffee, palm oil, prepared animal feeds, soyabean oil, rice bran oil and wheat bran declined.

Inflation rate for the 'beverages' group rose 0.7 per cent due to higher prices of wine, rectified spirit, spirits and aerated drinks/soft drinks (incl. soft drink concentrates).

Inflation rate for 'tobacco products' group rose 0.6 per cent due to higher prices of other tobacco products. However, the price of cigarette and biri declined.

Inflation rate for the 'textiles' group rose 0.6 per cent due to higher prices of manufacture of cordage, rope, twine and netting, cotton yarn and weaving and finishing of textiles. However, the price of woollen yarn declined.

Inflation rate for the 'wearing apparel' group rose 0.4 per cent due to higher prices of knitted and crocheted apparel.

Inflation rate for the 'leather and related products' group rose 0.5 per cent due to higher prices of chrome tanned leather, gloves of leather and vegetable tanned leather. However, the prices of travel goods, handbags, office bags, harness, saddles and other related items, athletic/sport shoes, belt and other articles of leather and leather shoe declined.

Inflation rate for the 'wood and products of wood and cork ' group declined by 1.5 per cent due to lower prices of particle boards, wooden box/crate, lamination wooden sheets/veneer sheets, wood cutting, processed/sized and plywood block boards. However, the prices of timber/wooden plank, sawn/resawn, wooden board (non-electrical) and wooden block moved up.

Inflation rate for the 'paper and paper products' group declined by 0.5 per cent due to lower prices of paper bag, including craft paper bag, newsprint and corrugated sheet box, paper for printing and writing and kraft paper. However, the prices of laminated plastic sheet, corrugated paper board and paper carton/box moved up.

Inflation rate for the 'printing and reproduction of recorded media ' group rose 1.2 per cent due to higher prices of journal/periodical and printed books. However, the prices of printed labels/posters/calendars declined.

Inflation rate for the 'pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and botanical products' group declined by 1 per cent due to lower prices of vials/ampoule, glass, empty or filled, anti-malarial drugs, API and formulations of vitamins, cotton wool (medicinal), anti-diabetic drug, excluding insulin (i.e. tolbutam), digestive enzymes and antacids, antioxidants, anti cancer drugs and antibiotics and preparations thereof. However, the prices of anti-retroviral drugs for HIV treatment and antiseptics and disinfectants, medical accessories and vaccine for hepatitis-B moved up.

Inflation rate for the 'rubber and plastics products' group rose 0.4 per cent due to higher prices of medium and heavy commercial vehicle tyre, plastic button, plastic box/container and elastic webbing,  plastic bag, rubber crumb, plastic film, tooth brush and car tyre. However, the prices of plastic furniture, rubberized dipped fabric and plastic tube (flexible/non-flexible), polythene film, acrylic/plastic sheet, plastic bottle, rubber moulded goods and thermocol  declined.

Inflation rate for the 'other non-metallic mineral products' group rose 0.2 per cent due to higher prices of clinker, ordinary portland cement, slag cement, fibre glass (incl. Sheet), lime, calcium carbonate, plain bricks, pozzolana cement, toughened glass, porcelain crockery, railway sleeper, asbestos corrugated sheet, ordinary sheet glass and porcelain sanitary ware. However, the prices of graphite rod, ceramic tiles (vitrified tiles), marble slab, cement superfine, non-ceramic tiles, poles & posts of concrete and white cement declined.

Inflation rate for the 'basic metals' group declined by 0.4 per cent due to lower prices of sponge iron/direct reduced iron (DRI), ferrosilicon, ferrochrome, MS pencil ingots, stainless steel coils, strips and sheets, aluminium alloys, other ferro alloys, hot rolled (HR) coils & sheets, including narrow strip, cold rolled (CR) coils & sheets, including narrow strip, stainless steel tubes, alloy steel wire rods, aluminium powder, copper shapes - bars/rods/plates/strips, MS bright bars, aluminium ingot, stainless steel bars and rods, including flats, copper metal/copper rings, alloy steel castings and GP/GC sheet. However, the prices of aluminium disk and circles, steel cables and rails, aluminium shapes - bars/rods/flats, MS castings, steel forgings - rough, angles, channels, sections, steel (coated/not), pig iron, brass metal/sheet/coils moved up.

Inflation rate for the 'fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment' group rose 0.9 per cent due to higher prices of cylinders, electrical stamping- laminated or otherwise and hand tools, sanitary fittings of iron and steel, hose pipes in set or otherwise, copper bolts, screws, nuts and steel structures. However, the prices of metal cutting tools and accessories, forged steel rings, bolts, screws, nuts, nails of iron and steel, steel drums, barrels and pressure cooker declined.

Inflation rate for the 'electronic and optical products' group declined by 0.3 per cent due to lower prices of electro-diagnostic apparatus, used in medical, surgical, dental or veterinary sciences and colour TV. However, the prices of microscopes and capacitors moved up.

Inflation rate for the ‘electrical equipment' group declined by 0.1 per cent due to lower prices of fibre optic cables, jelly filled cables, electric switch gear control/starter, electric welding machine, ACSR conductors, connector/plug/socket/holder-electric, incandescent lamps, insulator, domestic gas stove, flourescent tube, PVC insulated cable and rubber insulated cables. However, the prices of air coolers, generator parts and electrical resistors (except heating resistors), aluminium wire, generators and alternators, batteries, electric wires and cables, transformer, washing machines/laundry machines moved up.

Inflation rate for the 'machinery and equipment' group declined by 0.2 per cent due to lower prices of injection pump, rice mill machinery, pressure vessel, tank for fermentation and other food processing, drilling machine, water purifier, pump sets without motor, separator, open end spinning machinery and air filters and  harvesters, hydraulic pump, windmill turbines and hydraulic equipment. However, the prices of packing machine, air gas compressor (including compressor for refrigerator and pneumatic tools), moulding machine, conveyors (non-roller type), manufacture of bearings, gears, gearing and driving elements, roller and ball bearings, motor starter, oil pump, sewing machines, cranes, pharmaceutical machinery, excavator, roller mill (raymond), clutches and shaft couplings, threshers, soil preparation and cultivation machinery (other than tractors) and grinding or polishing machine moved up.

Inflation rate for the 'motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers' group declined by 0.4 per cent due to lower prices of seat for motor vehicles, crankshaft, passenger vehicles, brake pad/brake liner/brake block/brake rubber, chassis of different vehicle types and head lamp. However, the prices of steering gear control system, minibus/bus and chain and cylinder liners, release valve, axles of motor vehicles and wheels/wheels and parts moved up.

Inflation rate for the 'other transport equipment' group rose 0.2 per cent due to higher price of scooters. However, the price of railway brake gear declined.

Inflation rate for the 'furniture' group declined by 0.1 per cent due to lower prices of hospital furniture, plastic fixtures and foam and rubber mattress. However, the prices of steel shutter gate moved up.

Inflation rate for the 'other manufacturing' group declined by 2.1 per cent due to lower prices of stringed musical instruments (incl santoor, guitars, etc), silver, gold and gold ornaments and football. However, the prices of plastic moulded toys, table tennis table and non-mechanical toys, carrom board and cricket ball and playing cards moved up.

Inflation rate for the Food Index consisting of food articles from the primary articles group and the manufactured products group, and a combined weight of 24.38 per cent in the wholesale price index, increased to 4.95 per cent in April 2019 from 3.89 per cent in March 2019.

The final wholesale price index for February 2019 based on the wholesale price index for 'all commodities' remained unchanged at its provisional level of 2.93 per cent as reported on 14 March 2019.