India's WPI inflation touches 8-month high of 3.93% in November

India's annual wholesale price inflation rose to an eight-month high at 3.93% in November up from 3.59% in October, said the government data released on Thursday.

According to data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the wholesale price index (WPI), with the revised base year of 2011-12, stood at 3.93% (provisional) for the month of November, 2017 as compared to 3.59% (provisional) for the previous month and 1.82% during the corresponding month of the previous year.

source: tradingeconomics.com

The rate of inflation based on WPI Food Index consisting of ‘Food Articles’ from Primary Articles group and ‘Food Product’ from Manufactured Products group increased from 3.23% in October, 2017 to 4.10% in November, 2017.

Primary articles

The index for this major group rose by 1.6% to 135.6 (provisional) from 133.4 (provisional) for the previous month.

The groups and items which showed variations during the month are as follows:

The index for ‘Food Articles’ group rose by 1.8% to 150.6 (provisional) from 148 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of betel leaves (12%), egg (11%), fruits & vegetables (7%) and fish-marine, beef & buffalo meat, pork, condiments & spices and wheat (1% each). 

However, the price of ragi and gram (7% each), maize and jowar (4% each), urad and rajma (3% each), arhar, peas/chawali, masur, bajra and moong (2% each) and poultry chicken and barley (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Non-Food Articles’ group declined by 1.9% to 116.9 (provisional) from 119.2 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of tanning materials (35%), fodder (10%), raw rubber, raw silk and raw jute (4% each), skins (raw), castor seed and soyabean (3% each), mesta and coir fibre (2% each) and safflower (kardi seed), guar seed and hides (raw) (1% each). However, the price of copra (coconut) (3%), raw wool, floriculture, cotton seed and gingelly seed (2% each) and rape & mustard seed and raw cotton (1% each) moved up.

The index for ‘Minerals’ group rose by 7% to 129.3 (provisional) from 120.8 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of iron ore (14%), copper concentrate (12%), lead concentrate (4%), zinc concentrate (3%), manganese ore (2%) and phosphorite (1%). However, the price of sillimanite (12%) and bauxite (3%) declined.

The index for ‘Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas’ group rose by 6.7% to 74.5 (provisional) from 69.8 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of crude petroleum (10%).

Fuel & power

The index for this major group rose by 1.6% to 95 (provisional) from 93.5 (provisional) for the previous month.

The groups and items which showed variations during the month are as follows:

The index for ‘Coal’ group rose by 0.1% to 117.6 (provisional) from 117.5 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of lignite (1%).

The index for ‘Mineral Oils’ group rose by 2.9% to 84.6 (provisional) from 82.2 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of LPG (12%), naphtha (7%), bitumen and furnace oil (3% each), ATF, HSD and petroleum coke (2% each) and petrol (1%).

Manufactured products

The index for this major group rose by 0.2% to 113.9 (provisional) from 113.7 (provisional) for the previous month. 
The groups and items which showed variations during the month are as follows:-

The index for ‘Manufacture of Food Products’ group declined by 0.3% to 127.9 (provisional) from 128.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of molasses (13%), gram powder (besan) (7%), bagasse (6%), gur (5%),  manufacture of macaroni, noodles, couscous & similar farinaceous products and processing & preserving of fish, crustaceans & molluscs & products thereof (3% each), coffee powder with chicory, manufacture of health supplements, ice cream, instant coffee, ghee, rice, non-basmati and powder milk (2% each) and rice products, groundnut oil, buffalo meat, fresh/frozen, sooji (rawa), other meats, preserved/processed, cotton seed oil, manufacture of starches & starch products and processed tea (1% each). 

However, the price of copra oil and spices (including mixed spices) (5% each), palm oil (3%), rice bran oil, luoresce and chicken/duck, dressed-fresh/frozen (2% each) and wheat flour (atta), wheat bran, mustard oil, sunflower oil and castor oil (1% each) moved up.

The index for ‘Manufacture of Beverages’ group rose by 0.4% to 119.5 (provisional) from 119 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of spirits and aerated drinks/soft drinks (incl. soft drink concentrates) (1% each). However, the price of rectified spirit and bottled mineral water (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Manufacture of Tobacco Products’ group rose by 4.3% to 155.3 (provisional) from 148.9 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of cigarette (9%) and other tobacco products and biri (2% each).

The index for Manufacture of Textiles group rose by 0.3 percent to 113.5 (provisional) from 113.2 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of weaving & finishing of textiles (2%) and synthetic yarn, woollen yarn, texturised & twisted yarn and viscose yarn (1% each). However, the price of cotton yarn and manufacture of cordage, rope, twine & netting (2% each), and manufacture of knitted & crocheted fabrics (1%) declined.

WPI food index

The rate of inflation based on WPI Food Index consisting of Food Articles from Primary Articles group and Food Product from Manufactured Products group increased from 3.23% in October, 2017 to 4.10% in November, 2017.