Friday, August 29, 2008

Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices in India (Base: 1993-94=100) Review for the week ended 16th August 2008

The official Wholesale Price Index for 'All Commodities' (Base: 1993-94 = 100) for the week ended 16th August 2008 declined by 0.2 percent to 240.2 (Provisional) from 240.7 (Provisional) for the previous week. 

The annual rate of inflation, calculated on point to point basis, stood at 12.40 percent (Provisional) for the week ended 16/08/2008 (over 18/08/2007) as compared to 12.63 percent (Provisional) for the previous week. The annual rate of inflation stood at 3.99 percent as on 18/08/2007 i.e. a year ago. 

The movement of the index for the various commodity groups is summarized below:- 

1. PRIMARY ARTICLES (Weight 22.02%) 

The index for this major group remained unchanged at its previous week level 249.6 (Provisional). The groups and items for which the index showed variations during the week are as follows: - 

The index for 'Food Articles' group rose marginally to 238.8 (Provisional) from 238.7 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of moong (3%), condiments & spices (2%) and tea, masur and urad (1% each). However, the prices of mutton and maize (1% each) declined. 

The index for 'Non-Food Articles' group declined marginally to 245.2 (Provisional) from 245.3 (Provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of gingelly seed (2%) and copra, raw silk and castor seed (1% each). However, the prices of raw rubber (2%) moved up. 

The index for 'Minerals' group declined by 0.3 percent to 646.7 (Provisional) from 648.4 (Provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of fire clay (22%), asbestos and barytes (6% each). However, the prices of felspar (60%) and steatite (6%) moved up. 

The annual rate of inflation, calculated on point to point basis, for ‘Primary Articles’ stood at 11.63 percent (Provisional) for the week ended 16/08/2008. It was 8.70 percent as on 18/08/2007 i.e. a year ago. 

The annual rate of inflation for ‘Food Articles’ stood at 7.28 percent (Provisional) for the week ended 16/08/2008. It was 8.16 percent as on 18/08/2007 i.e. a year ago. 

2. FUEL, POWER, LIGHT & LUBRICANTS (Weight 14.23%) 

The index for this major group declined by 1.1 percent to 376.2 (Provisional) from 380.4 (Provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of naphtha (9%) and furnace oil (6%). However, the prices of bitumen (2%) moved up. 

3. MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 63.75%) 

The index for this major group rose by 0.1 percent to 206.6 (Provisional) from 206.4 (Provisional) for the previous week. The groups and items for which the index showed variations during the week are as follows: - 

The index for 'Food Products' group rose by 0.2 percent to 212.5 (Provisional) from 212.0 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of sugar (4%) and khandsari (1%). However, the prices of imported edible oil and rice bran oil (3% each), oilcakes (2%) and groundnut oil, cotton seed oil and sunflower oil (1% each) declined. 

The index for 'Textiles' group rose by 0.3 percent to 144.2 (Provisional) from 143.8 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of other cotton yarn (6%), cotton grey cloth & canvas (4%) and hessian & sacking bags and hessian cloth (1% each). 

The index for 'Paper & Paper Products' group rose by 0.1 percent to 200.6 (Provisional) from 200.4 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of map litho paper (2%). 

The index for 'Chemicals & Chemical Products' group rose marginally to 222.0 (Provisional) from 221.9 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) (2%). However, the prices of p.v.c. resins (6%) declined. 

The index for 'Non-Metallic Mineral Products' group declined by 0.05 percent to 216.1 (Provisional) from 216.2 (Provisional) for the previous week due to marginal fall in the prices of cement. The index for 'Basic Metals, Alloys & Metal Products' group rose by 0.1 percent to 299.1 (Provisional) from 298.9 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of foundary pig iron, basic pig iron and ms bars & rounds (1% each). However, the prices of lead ingots (7%) and zinc ingots and other iron steel (1% each) declined. 

The index for 'Machinery & Machine Tools' group rose by 0.2 percent to 176.2 (Provisional) from 175.8 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of computer & computer based systems (17%) and electric motors (3%). 

4. FINAL INDEX FOR THE WEEK ENDED 21st June 2008. 

For the week ended 21/06/2008, the final wholesale price index for 'All Commodities’ (Base: 1993-94=100) stood at 237.7 as compared to 237.1 (Provisional) and annual rate of inflation based on final index, calculated on point to point basis, stood at 11.91 percent as compared to 11.63 percent (Provisional) reported earlier vide press note dated 04/07/2008.

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