WPI inflation at -0.85 in March; remains in the negative zone for the 17th month in a row

18 Apr 2016 Evaluate

Wholesale Price Index falling for the 17 straight months came at -0.85% in March, as compared to -0.91% in February and -2.33% during the corresponding month of the previous year, despite some spurt in food articles, mainly pulses.  Food inflation stood at 3.73% in March compared with 3.35% in February. Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was -0.85% compared to a build up rate of -2.33% in the corresponding period of the previous year. For the month of January, 2016, the final Wholesale Price Index was revised lower to -1.07% as compared to -0.90% (provisional).

As per the data released by the government the Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05=100) for the month of March, 2016 rose by 0.3 percent to 174.6 (provisional) from 174.0 (provisional) for the previous month. March core inflation stood at -1.1% versus -1.6% in February.

Based on commodity groups, index for Primary Articles group having weight of 20.12%, declined by 0.2 percent to 244.1 (provisional) from 244.7 (provisional) for the previous month. The index for ‘Food Articles’ group declined by 0.2 percent to 258.6 (provisional) from 259.1 (provisional) for the previous month. The index for ‘Non-Food Articles’ group rose by 0.5 percent to 219.0 (provisional) from 217.9 (provisional) for the previous month, while the index for ‘Minerals’  group declined by 2.5 percent to 178.5 (provisional) from 183.0  (provisional) for the previous month.

Index for Fuel & Power group having weight 14.91%, rose by 1.7 percent to 172.4 (provisional) from 169.6 (provisional) for the previous month.

The index of manufactured products having maximum weight of 64.97%, too rose by 0.4 percent to 153.7 (provisional) from 153.1 (provisional) for the previous month. Among manufactured products, the index for ‘Food Products’ group declined by 0.2 percent to 177.7 (provisional) from 178.1 (provisional), the index for ‘Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products’ group rose by 1.4 percent to 210.2 (provisional) from 207.2 (provisional), the index for ‘Textiles’ group rose by 0.1 percent to 139.8 (provisional) from 139.6 (provisional), the index for ‘Wood & Wood Products’ group rose by 0.5 percent to 196.9 (provisional) from 195.9 (provisional), the index for ‘Paper & Paper Products’ group rose by 0.4 percent, the index for ‘Leather & Leather Products’ group rose by 0.6 percent, the index for ‘Rubber & Plastic Products’ group rose by 0.4 percent, the index for ‘Non-Metallic Mineral Products’ group rose by 0.3 percent, the index for ‘Basic Metals, Alloys & Metal Products’ group rose by 1.8 percent, index for ‘Machinery & Machine Tools’ group declined by 0.1 percent and index for ‘Transport, Equipment & Parts’ group rose by 0.6 percent from the previous month.

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