Reversing trend, retail inflation inches up to 4.58 pc in April

Reversing the declining trend, retail inflation moved up to 4.58 per cent in April due to hardening in prices of cereals, meat, fish and fruits.

The inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI), a key data factored in by the Reserve Bank while deciding interest rate, was 4.28 per cent in March.

The inflation was at 2.99 per cent in April last year.

The CPI index had been declining since January this year.

As per data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the rate of price rise in the protein rich items like meat and fish inched up in April to 3.59 per cent, as against the previous month of 3.17 per cent.

Similarly, the inflation in the fruit basket was higher at 9.65 per cent compared to 5.78 per cent in the previous month.

However, inflation in vegetables segment was lower at 7.29 per cent in April compared to 11.7 per cent.

Overall, inflation in the food basket remained flat at 2.8 per cent month-on-month.

The CSO data further revealed that inflation in the fuel and light segment also came in lower at 5.24 per cent month-on-month basis.