Wholesale inflation falls to 3.80% in December

New Delhi, Jan 14: Wholesale inflation stood at 3.80 per cent in December from 4.64 per cent in the previous month, the government said on Monday.

That marked the slowest pace of wholesale inflation recorded in past eight months, helped by a smaller increase in food and fuel prices.

ICRA expects the WPI inflation to range between 3.7-4.4 per cent in the remainder of second half for current fiscal.

According to the government data released Monday, deflation in food articles stood at 0.07 per cent in December, against 3.31 per cent in November.

Vegetables, too, saw deflation at 17.55 per cent in December, compared to 26.98 per cent in the previous month.

Inflation in the 'fuel and power' basket in December slumped to 8.38 per cent, nearly half of 16.28 per cent in November. This was on account of lowering of prices of petrol and diesel through December.

Individually, in petrol and diesel inflation was 1.57 per cent and 8.61 per cent, respectively, and for liquified petroleum gas (LPG) it was 6.87 per cent during December.

Among food articles, potato prices became cheaper substantially with inflation at 48.68 per cent in December, as against 86.45 per cent in November.

Inflation in pulses stood at 2.11 per cent, while in 'egg, meat and fish' it was 4.55 per cent.

Onion witnessed deflation of 63.83 per cent in December, compared to 47.60 per cent in November.