Inflation surges to 5.41 pc; food, mfg product prices rise

New Delhi, Nov 3 (UNI) The upward trend of inflation continued today with the annual rate of inflation reported at 5.41 per cent for the week ended Ocober 21, higher than 5.26 per cent during the previous week owing to higher food items and manufactured product prices.

The inflation rate calculated on a point-to-point basis, stood at 4.49 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year, according to official figures released here today.

Earlier, Finance Minister P Chidambaram had expressed concern about inflation, saying rising prices were the ''most worrying signal'' in an economy.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for all commodities for the week ended October 21, 2006, rose by 0.1 per cent to 208.4 from 208.2 for the previous week.

The index for the Primary Articles group rose by 0.2 per cent to 212.9 from 212.4 for the previous week.

The index for Food Articles group rose by 0.5 per cent to 217.1 from 216.1 for the previous week due to higher prices of urad (4 per cent), fruits and vegetables (2 per cent) and gram, eggs, moong and wheat (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of jowar and condiments and spices (1 per cent each) declined.

The index for Non-Food Articles group declined by 0.1 per cent to 186.1 from 186.3 for the previous week due to lower prices of gingelly seed (3 per cent), cotton seed (2 per cent) and raw cotton and groundnut seed (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of raw rubber (6 per cent) and castor seed (1 per cent) moved up.

The index for the Minerals group declined by 1.5 per cent to 419.7 from 426.2 for the previous week due to lower prices of iron ore (2 per cent).

However, the prices of fire clay (13 per cent), stealite (4 per cent) and kaolin (chian clay) (2 per cent) moved up.

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