The inflation rate based on wholesale price index (WPI) rose to the 6.03 per cent level from 5.75 per cent in the previous week. The rate was 2.56 per cent in the corresponding week of the previous year.

The WPI for `all commodities' (base 1993-94=100) stood at 152.9 during the week concerned as against 152.6 in the previous week.

Meanwhile, according to the final figures the inflation rate based on WPI for the week ended June 17 stood at 6.62 per cent compared to the provisional figure of 6.28.

Similarly, the final `all commodities' index was 152.9 during the week compared to the provisional figure of 152.4.

During the week under reference the index for `primary articles' rose by 0.5 per cent to 163.6 from 162.8, the index for `fuel, power, light and lubricants rose by 0.1 per cent to 194.6 from 194.5 per cent.

The index for `manufactured products' also rose by 0.1 per cent to 139.9 from 139.8.

The increase in the index for primary articles was mainly on account of 10 per cent rise in the index for `minerals' group to 115.8 from 105.3 due to higher prices of iron ore (24 per cent) and vermiculite (1 per cent).

Other commodities whose prices fluctuated significantly include fodder (up by 24 per cent), groundnut seed and skins raw (up by 8 per cent each).

The index for subgroup `food articles' declined by 0.1 cent to 170.8 from 171 in the last week due to lower prices of barley (4) tea (2) and bajra, arhar and fruits and vegetables (1).

However, the prices of fish marine (4 per cent), beef and buffalo meat (3), eggs (2), fish-inland and poultry chicken (1) moved up.

Higher prices of fodder (24 per cent), groundnut seed and skins raw (8), raw silk (3) and linseed and raw rubber (1) resulted in a 1.6 per cent rise in the index for `non-food articles' to 149.2 from 146.8.

Prices of copra and gingelly seed in this category declined by one per cent each.

The 0.1 per cent rise in the index for a major consitutent of WPI that is fuel, power, light and lubricants was due to a six per cent rise in the prices of lubricants.

In the past one year, the indices of primary articles, manufactured products and fuel, power, light and lubricants rose by 2.12 per cent, 2.41 per cent and 26.61 per cent, respectively.

During the week ended August 12, the index for food products, a sub-group of `manufactured products' remained unchanged at the previous week's level of 146.3.

However, the items which varied under this sub-group are gur and hydrogenated vanaspati (up 1 per cent each) and cattle feed (down 2) and gingelly oil, rape and mustard oil, coconut oil and groundnut oil (down 1).