Rate of inflation, based on wholesale price index (WPI), declined to 4.60 per cent (provisional) from 5.04 per cent (P) a week ago. Inflation had stood at 5.34 per cent during the corresponding week of the last year.

Inflation has been declining since February 27 when it was 5.26 per cent.

Only exception was March 27 when it increased from 4.96 per cent to 5.04 per cent. The current decline is mainly on account of cheaper non-food articles and food products.

The index for ``all commodities'' (base: 1981-82 =100),however, increased by 0.2 per cent to 354.7 (provisional) as against 354.1 (P) in the previous week.

Meanwhile, inflation based on the final index for the week ended February 6, the latest available, stood at 5.0 per cent compared to 4.7 per cent based on the provisional index. Compared to inflation based onWPI, the rate of increase in prices based on consumer price index for industrial workers (CPI-iw), which is more reflective of retail prices, stood much higher at 8.64 per cent in February. CPI-iw inflation had stood at 15.3 per cent in December last.

Items which saw substantial fluctuation during the week were fruits and vegetables (up 7 per cent), bajra (up 6 per cent), copra (up 3 per cent), malted food (up 7 per cent), hair oils (up 6 per cent), tyres (up 12 per cent), cotton seed oil (down 11 per cent), pvc resins (down 18 per cent) and lineseed (down 6 per cent).

Indices for ``fuel, power, light and lubricants'' and ``manufactured products'' remained unchanged during the reference week as against the previous week. Index for primary articles, however, increased by 0.5 per cent.

Index for primary articles rose to 381.8 points (provisional) as compared to 380.8 (P) In the previous week.

Food articles' index went up by 0.9 per cent to 443.0 from 439.2 as prices of fruits and vegetables (7 percent), bajra (6 per cent) and jowar, maize, arhar, masur, fish and tea (1 per cent each) increased during the week.However, condiments and spices (3 per cent each), wheat (2 per cent) and rice, barley, ragi, milk and eggs (1 per cent each) were cheaper during the review week. The index for non-food articles declined by 0.2 per cent to 382.2 points from 383.0 as the prices of lineseed (6 per cent), castor seed and kardi seed (3 per cent), rape and mustard seed (2 per cent) and soyabean (1 per cent) eased during the week. Prices of copra (3 per cent), gingelly seed (2 per cent) and raw silk, groundnut seed and sunflower (1 per cent each) increased during the week from the sub-group.