Inflation eases to 5.24%

Inflation declined for the tenth consecutive week today to 5.24% for the week ended January 3, primarily due to decline in prices of food articles.

Inflation, measured by movements in wholesale prices, dipped by 0.67 percentage points from 5.91% in the previous week. It stood at 4.26% a year ago.

The index of the food articles group declined by 0.6% as prices of fruit and vegetables fell by 3% and gram, barley, condiments and spices by 1% each.

However, the index of manufactured goods declined 1%. Among manufactured items, paper and paper products declined by 0.4% and chemicals and chemical products fell by 1.2%.
 
The index of fuel declined by 0.2% due to lower prices of aviation turbine fuel (8%) and light diesel oil (3%).

However, naphtha became expensive by 3%, and among food items jowar, tea, urad moong and rice moved up 1% each, and masoor by 2%.

Inflation has been falling after it peaked at 12.91% August last year.