Inflation Up At 3.6 Per Cent

The annual rate of inflation went up marginally to touch 3.59 per cent for the week ended August 24 against 3.41 per cent for the previous week. The inflation was 5.14 per cent during the corresponding week last year.

The wholesale price index for all commodities also rose 0.3 per cent to 167.4 during the week against 166.9 the previous week.

The increase may have been prompted by a 0.7 per cent hike in the index for primary articles to 175 from 173.7 in the previous week. The index for food articles rose 1 per cent due to higher prices of maize and fruits and vegetables (5 per cent each), jowar (3 per cent) and bajra, ragi and masur (1 per cent each). The items whose prices declined included pork (3 per cent), fish-inland (2 per cent) and moong and urad (1 per cent each).

The index for fuel, power, light and lubricants remained unchanged at the pervious week