High fuel prices push up August WPI inflation to 11.39%

WPI inflation rose marginally even as retail inflation measured by Consumer Price Index slipped to a four-month low of 5.30 per cent as prices of manufactured products spiked

Wholesale inflation rose marginally to 11.39 per cent in August from 11.16 per cent in July as prices of non-food articles such as oil seeds, fuel, minerals remained elevated.

The wholesale price index (WPI) inflation remained in double digits throughout the current financial year. The high inflation rate in August was largely due to low base effect as inflation in August 2020 was of 0.41 per cent.

“The high rate of inflation in August 2021 is primarily due to rise in prices of non-food articles, mineral oils, crude petroleum and natural gas, manufactured products like basic metals, food products, textiles,