Inflation nears 5-year low at 3.32 per cent

New Delhi, Sept 23: The inflation rate fell to a near five-year low at 3.32 per cent for the week ended September 8 from the previous week's 3.52 per cent.

The drop was driven by lower prices of vegetables, energy and some minerals. An acceleration in prices a year ago also helped make the fall look sharper. Inflation stood at 5.22 per cent in the same week a year earlier, an official statement said.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for all commodities for the week ended September 8 rose by 0.1 per cent to 214.7 from 214.4 for the previous week.

The index for 'Primary Food Articles' rose by 0.2 per cent to 227.9 from 227.5 for the previous week.

The index for the 'Food Articles' group rose by 0.2 per cent to 228.2 (Provisional) from 227.7 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of fruits and vegetables, condiments and spices, barley and wheat (one per cent each).

However, the prices of bajra (three per cent), fish-marine (two per cent) and maize (one per cent each) declined.

The index for 'Non-Food Articles' group rose by 0.1 per cent to 210.6 (Provisional) from 210.4 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of fodder (two per cent) and raw cotton, groundnut seed and cotton seed (one per cent each).

However, the prices of niger seed (six per cent), soyabean (four per cent) and raw tobacco and sunflower (two per cent each) declined.

The index for 'Fuel, Power, Light and Lubricants' group declined by 0.1 per cent to 321.7 (Provisional) from 321.9 (Provisional) the previous week due to lower prices of naphtha (two per cent).

However, the prices of furnace oil (one per cent) moved up.

The index for Manufactured Products group rose by 0.2 per cent to 186.2 (Provisional) from 185.9 (Provisional) for the previous week. The index for 'Food Products' group rose by 0.3 per cent to 187.2 (Provisional) from 186.7 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of bran (all kinds) (five per cent) and sooji (rawa), rice bran oil, oil cakes and imported edible oil (one per cent each).

However, the prices of soyabean (one per cent) declined.

The index for 'Rubber and Plastic Products' group rose by 3.4 per cent to 159.8 (Provisional) from 154.5 (Provisional)for the previous week due to higher prices of tractor tyres (20 per cent), giant tyres (10 per cent) and giant tubes (nine per cent).

The index for 'Non-Metallic Mineral Products' group declined by 0.2 per cent to 206.5 (Provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of cement (0.2 per cent) The index for 'Basic Metals Alloys amd Metal Products' group declined marginally to 244.0 (Provisional) from 244.1 (Provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of lead ingots (five per cent) and zinc ingots (three per cent) The index for 'Machinery and Machine Tools' group rose by 0.2 per cent to 166.0 (Provisional) from 165.7 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of jelly filled telephone cables (five per cent).

However, the prices of air and gas compressors (three per cent) declined.

UNI