India's WPI sequentially rises to 2.03% in Jan

India's annual rate of inflation based on wholesale prices sequentially rose to 2.03 per cent in January from a rise of 1.22 per cent in December.

In contrast, the January inflation rate last month was lower on a year-on-year basis.

"The rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at (2.03 per cent) (provisional) for the month of January, 2021 (over January, 2020) as compared to 3.52 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year," a Ministry of Commerce and Industry statement on WPI said.

On a sub-segment basis, prices of primary articles, which constitute 22.62 per cent of the WPI's total weightage, deflated further to (-)2.24 per cent from (-) 1.61 per cent in December.


It increased at a faster pace in January 2020 at 10.01 per cent.

However, the WPI food index declined to (-) 0.26 per cent from 0.92 per cent reported for December 2020.

The prices of manufactured items remained at elevated levels with a rise of 5.13 per cent from 4.24 per cent reported for December and per cent recorded during January 2020.


Similarly, the prices of fuel and power with a weightage of 13.15 per cent rose (-) 4.78 per cent from (-) 8.72 per cent in December 2020.

"The index for this major group increased by (5.84 per cent) to 99.7 (provisional) in January, 2021 from 94.2 (provisional) for the month of December, 2020," the statement said.

"Prices of Electricity (11.49 per cent) and Mineral Oils (5.55 per cent) increased in January, 2021 as compared to December, 2020. Prices of coal remain unchanged."


The sub-segment basis, potato prices decreased by (-) 22.04 per cent in January against 37.75 per cent during December.

Overall, vegetable prices in January fell (-) 20.82 per cent against (-)13.2 per cent in December.

The prices of pulses became dearer by 7.92 per cent last month. The prices had risen by 9.69 per cent in December. - IANS