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India Inflation
Wholesale price inflation rose for the fourth straight month, at 2.13 per cent in February, driven by an uptick in prices of food and non-food articles, even though vegetable prices eased on a month-on-month basis, government data showed on Monday. Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation was 1.81 per cent in the previous month and 2.45 per cent in February last year. "Positive rate of inflation in February 2026 is primarily due to an increase in prices of other manufacturing, manufacture of basic metals, non-food articles, food articles and textiles, etc.," the industry ministry said in a statement. According to WPI data, inflation in food articles was 2.19 per cent in February, as against 1.55 per cent in the previous month. In vegetables, inflation eased to 4.73 per cent in February against 6.78 per cent in January. However, pulses, potato and egg, meat and fish saw an uptick in inflation in February over the previous month. In the case of manufactured products, WPI inflati
India is preparing to rejig methodology for computing CPI and revamp monetary policy mandate for targeting retail inflation in 2026 after a year of benign price situation due to subdued food cost and GST reduction. Consumer Price Index (CPI) based retail inflation remained in the Reserve Bank's comfort zone (2-6 per cent) and is likely to stay that way in the next year also, keeping open the possibility of at least one more reduction in rates by the central bank in the coming months. Besides cooling food prices, the decision of the government to reduce GST rates on about 400 items in September helped in further improving the price situation in the country. The wholesale price index (WPI), too, showed clear signs of easing of inflationary pressures through 2025. Early months recorded positive but declining WPI inflation, reflecting softening price pressures especially in food and fuel categories. By June, WPI entered deflation and the downward trend continued with negative prints in
WPI inflation data, trading activity of foreign investors and global cues would dictate trends in the stock market this week, analysts said. Besides this, movement of rupee against the US dollar and crude oil would also be tracked by investors, they noted. Markets remained volatile and ended the last week in negative territory. Last week, the BSE benchmark index declined by 444.71 points, or 0.51 per cent. "This week features an active domestic data calendar, with the release of India's Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation and trade balance figures. Developments related to India-US trade discussions will remain in focus, while globally, the performance and macro cues from US markets are expected to influence near-term sentiment," Ajit Mishra -- SVP, Research, Religare Broking Ltd, said. Foreign investors pulled out Rs 17,955 crore (USD 2 billion) from Indian equities in the first two weeks of this month, taking the total outflow to Rs 1.6 lakh crore (USD 18.4 billion) in ...