Inflation further dips to 4.56% due to fall in food prices

New Delhi, Oct 1 (UNI) The annual rate of inflation for the week ended September 16 further dipped to 4.56 per cent as against 4.61 per cent the previous week, due to a fall in food prices.

The inflation rate calculated on point-to-point basis, stood at 4.17 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year, according to official figures released here.

The wholesale price index (WPI) for all commodities for the week ended September 16, 2006, declined by 0.1 per cent to 206.3 from 206.6 the previous week.

Finance Minister P Chidambram had said that wheat and pulses will continue to impact inflation rate, especially the consumer price.

''Inflation rate has been moderating for the last two to three weeks and would continue to moderate in the next few days,'' Mr Chidambram said.

He said the Government was taking all monetary and fiscal steps to contain inflation rate.

The index for the primary articles group declined by 0.4 per cent to 211.1 from 212.0 for the previous week.

The index for food articles group declined by 0.6 per cent to 214.2 from 215.5 for the previous week due to lower prices of mutton (6 per cent), bajra and fruits and vegetables (2 per cent) and urad, jowar, maize and condiments and spices (1 per cent).

However, the prices of barley (3 per cent), gram and ragi (2 per cent) and moong and masur (1 per cent) moved up.

The index for non-food articles group declined by 0.1 per cent to 187.7 from 187.9 for the previous week due to lower prices of raw wool and rape and mustard seed (1 per cent).

However, the prices of cotton seed (2 per cent) and copra and mesta (1 per cent each) moved up.

The index for the fuel, power, light and lubricants group declined by 0.5 per cent to 324.9 from 326.6 for the previous week due to lower prices of naphtha (7 per cent) and furnace oil (3 per cent).

However, the prices of light diesel oil (1 per cent) moved up.

The index for manufactured products group rose by 0.1 per cent to 178.1 from 178.0 for the previous week. The index for food products group remained unchanged at its previous week's level of 181.9. The index for textiles group declined by 0.2 per cent to 132.9 from 133.1 for the previous week due to lower prices of other woollen cloth (22 per cent) and cotton yarn-cones and tyre cord fabric (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of hessian cloth (3 per cent), hessian and sacking bags (2 per cent) and nylon filament yarn (1 per cent) moved up.

The index for paper and paper products group rose by 0.1 per cent to 190.8 from 190.7 for the previous week due to higher prices of newsprint (1 per cent).

The index for chemicals and chemical products group declined by 0.1 per cent to 192.8 from 192.9 for the previous week due to lower prices of epoxy resins (39 per cent).

However, the prices of purified terephthalic acid (pta) (10 per cent), pvc resins (8 per cent), bopp film (3 per cent) and caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) (2 per cent) moved up.

The index for non-metallic minerals products group rose by 0.5 per cent to 189.2 from 188.3 for the previous week due to higher prices of cement (1 per cent).

The index for basic metal alloys and metal products group rose by 0.2 per cent to 233.0 from 232.5 for the previous week due to higher prices of brass sheets and strips (41 per cent), heavy rails (23 kg upwards) (7 per cent), foundary pig iron and basic pig iron (2 per cent each) and lead ingots (1 per cent).

However, the prices of zinc ingots (5 per cent), pipes and tubes (2 per cent) and steel sheets, plates and strips and other iron steel (1 per cent each) declined.

The index for machinery and machine tools group declined by 0.1 per cent to 152.7 from 152.8 for the previous week due to lower prices of ceiling fans (1 per cent).

The index for transport equipment and parts group rose by 0.6 per cent to 162.7 from 161.8 for the previous weed due to higher prices of truck chasis (diesel) (3 per cent).

UNI