India's October retail inflation eases

India's annual retail inflation eased last month to 4.20 per cent from 4.39 per cent in September and 5 per cent reported during the corresponding period last year, official data showed on Tuesday.

According to CPI (Consumer Price Index) data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the fall in retail inflation was mainly due to a drop in the annual food inflation -- from 3.96 per cent in September to 3.32 per cent in October.

The CPI data revealed that the annual retail inflation for rural India was 4.78 per cent while that for the urban centres was 3.54 per cent.

The annual food inflation was 3.86 per cent in rural areas and 2.33 per cent in the urban conclaves.

The official data further showed that prices of vegetable plunged by (-)5.74 per cent on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, whereas cost of pulses was up by 4.11 per cent.

The prices of milk and milk-based products' surged by 4.42 per cent. Other protein-based food items such as meat and fish became dearer by 6.16 per cent.

Besides, eggs became expensive by 9.42 per cent and the cost of spices rose by 7.40 per cent.

Edible oils and fats prices increased by 3.80 per cent while those for sugar and confectionery edged up by 23.62 per cent on a YoY basis.

--IANS

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