The point-to-point inflation rate, based on the WholesalePrice Index (WPI) for all commodities (Base: 1993-94 = 100), rose from the previous week's level of 6.92 per cent and 3.23 per cent a year ago.The WPI was up by 0.1 per cent to 157.9 from the previous week's figure of 157.7 and 147.2 a year ago.

The final WPI during the second week of September stood at 154.1, as against the provisional figure of 153.5.The final inflation rate for the week ended September ninth was at 6.13 per cent as against the provisional level of 5.72 per cent. Fuel became costlier by 0.5 per cent, while the index for primary articles and manufactured products stood firm at their previous week's level. The index for Food Articles group rose to 174.1 from the previous week's figure of 173.5, due to costlier gram (two per cent), rice, maize, barley, urad, fruits and vegetables, eggs, condiments and spices (one per cent each).

The index for Non-Food Articles' group declined sharply by one per cent due to a whopping fall of 23 per cent in the price of sunflower and a moderate fall of three per cent each in the prices of groundnut seed and rawrubber.

But raw silk and raw jute became costlier by two per cent each and kardi seed by one per cent. The index for fuel, power, light and lubricants' group continued its rise by adding yet another 0.5 per cent to 220.2 from 219 in the previous week, due to one per cent rise in the price of mineral oils.

The index for Beverages, Tobacco and Tobacco products rose sharply by 0.7 per cent to 179 from 177.8, due to three per cent increase in the price of beedi.

Textiles' group index rose by 0.3 per cent to 121.7 from 121.3 of the previous week, due to costlier cotton-yarn hanks (three per cent), hessian cloth and hessian and sacking bags (two per cent each).

Machinery and Machine Tools' group index rose marginally by 0.1 per cent to material handling equipment and one per cent rise in switch gears. The index for Transport Equipment and Parts' group also rose marginally by 0.1 per cent to 144.1 from 144 a week ago due to one per cent increase in the price of motor cycles. The index for Food Products' group fell marginally by 0.1 per cent to 145.7 from 145.8 in the previous week, on account of a decline in the prices of solvent extracted groundnut oil (four per cent), ghee, gur, coconut oil, groundnut oil and unrefined oil (one per cent each).

However, prices rose for rice bran oil (five per cent),sunflower oil (three per cent) and all kinds of bran and salt (two per cent each).

Non-Metallic Mineral Products' group index went down by 0.2 per cent to 129.5 from 129.7 in the previous week, due to 0.2 per cent dip in the price of cement.

The index for Basic Metal Alloys and Metal Products'group fell by 0.1 per cent to 141.2 from 141.3, due to cheaper zinc ingot (five per cent) and zinc (two per cent).

Chemical and Chemical Products' group index also fell by 0.1 per cent to 164.3 from 164.4 due to four per cent dip in price of P.V.C. resins.

(PTI)