The annual rate of inflation, based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), stood at 6.54 per cent (provisional) for the week compared to 6.67 per cent in the previous week and 5.63 per cent in the corresponding week of last year.

Surprisingly, the price hike in petrol and in urea, which was later rolled back, is not reflected in the WPI. This is the sixth consecutive week in which inflation, calculated on a point-to-point basis, has ruled above the 6 per cent mark, which was breached in the first week of May this year after a gap of 54 weeks. The current fall in inflation is mainly on account of easing of prices of certain primary food articles. Inflation based on consumer price index (CPI), considered more representative of price rise, stood at 8.2 per cent in April as against 5 per cent based onWPI.

Meanwhile, inflation based on the final index for the week ended on April 11 stood at 5.5 per cent compared to the provisionally estimated 4.8 per cent.