Retail inflation at 4.28 %, Industrial output grows 7.1 %

India's retail inflation cooled off marginally for a third straight month in March at 4.28 percent, from February's 4.44 percent, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation said on Thursday.

The rate of increase in price rise slowed for the third consecutive month after hitting a fresh high of 5.2 percent growth in December 2017.

Meanwhile, the industrial production (IIP) grew 7.1 percent in February as compared to January's 7.5 growth percent, primarily led by robust manufacturing output.

The general index for the month of February 2018 stands at 127.7, which is 7.1 percent higher as compared to the level in the month of February 2017, the ministry said in a notification.

The cumulative growth for the period April - February 2017-18 over the corresponding period of the previous year stands at 4.3 percent.

Further, the indices of industrial production for the mining, manufacturing and electricity sectors for the month of February 2018 stand at 110.2, 130.1 and 136.1 respectively, with the corresponding growth rates of (-) 0.3 percent, 8.7 percent and 4.5 percent as compared to February 2017.

The cumulative growth in these three sectors during April - February 2017-18 over the corresponding period of 2016 - 17 has been 2.3 percent, 4.6 percent, and 5.2 percent respectively.

Fifteen out of the twenty-three industry groups in the manufacturing sector have shown positive growth during the month of February 2018 as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.

The industry group 'Manufacture of other transport equipment' has shown the highest positive growth of 32 percent followed by 26.9 percent in 'Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c.' and 19.9 percent in 'Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers, and semi-trailers'.

On the other hand, the industry group 'Other manufacturing' has shown the highest negative growth of (-) 27.3 percent followed by (-) 9.4 percent in 'Printing and reproduction of recorded media' and (-) 8.2 percent in 'Manufacture of rubber and plastics products'.

Consumer durables and consumer non-durables have recorded growth of 7.9 percent and 7.4 percent respectively.