Food items still costly, but inflation down to 5.27%

Inflation fell for the fourth consecutive week to 5.27% during the week ended May 12 even as some essential food products like vegetables, fruits, milk and eggs turned expensive. Inflation during the previous week stood at 5.44%.

Even though prices of items in major categories of primary articles and manufactured products increased, inflation declined due to the base effect of last year. Inflation was 4.63% during the corresponding week of the previous year.

This is evident from the fact that the wholesale price index on which inflation data is based rose 0.1% to 211.7 points during the week ended May 12 from 211.4 points in the previous week.