During the week, the annual inflation, based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), fell by 0.33 percentage points to 3.53 per cent (provisional) from 3.86 per cent (P) in the previous week.

The inflation rate was way higher at 7.04 per cent a year ago. Inflation has been falling since the beginning of the current financial year despite an increase in the overall index.

While the rate of increase in prices shed over one percentage point since April 3, 1999, the index for all commodities (base: 1981-82=100) rose from 354.7 to 357.5 during the period. During the reference week, the index for all commodities, however, fell by 0.1 per cent to 357.5 (provisional), from 357.9 (P).

Meanwhile, the final index for the week ended April 10, thelatest available, stood at 354.6, compared to 354.4 on the provisional index. The inflation based on the final index during the week was 4.23 per cent.