The main factor for the inflation rate to go up by 0.11 per cent was the rise in the prices of jams, jellies, marmalades, naphtha, fodder, steel wires and enameled copper wires. But safflower, pipes, tubes and zinc became cheaper during the week under review. However, the inflation rate was hovering much above the eight per cent mark at 8.20 per cent during the corresponding week last year.

A substantial jump in the indices of paper and paper products and food articles was responsible for the official wholesale price index for all commodities (base=1981-82) to rise for the fourth week in succession by 0.1 per cent to 369.4 on October 23 from 369.

The final wholesale price index for all commodities (base= 1981-82) stood at 362.7on August 28 as against the provisional index of 360.6. The inflation rate calculated on final index worked put to 2.37 per cent in contrast to 1.81 per cent based on provisional index.

It never crossed the double digit mark for more than four years since April 5, 1995.

To add to common man's woes, the recent truck strike will have rippling effect on the prices of essential commodities to a large extent.

The Chartered Bank experts said that the inflation rate was likely to increase by five per cent or more by the end of current fiscal due to diesel price hike.

The Institute of Economic Growth (IEG) predicted the inflation rate would see a marginal rise in a couple of months. But it ruled out any chances of sharp increase in the inflation rate. It said the cascading effect of the hike would be felt which would lead to cost push inflation. It opined that the inflation rate was projected to go up a little over three per cent. It puts 3.26 per cent as wholesale price index inflation for the current month.

In contrast, the inflation rate based on consumer price index for industrial workers, which is the real picture of retail prices, fell sharply by 1.01 per cent for the sixth successive month to 2.14 per cent in September from 3.15 per cent in the previous month while maintaining its single digit realm for the ninth month in succession since January this year.

The index for food articles, under the primary articles group, rose by 0.4 per cent to 477.9 from 476 because barley and milk prices went up by two per cent each, bajra, gram and fruits prices moved up by one per cent each. But jowar and ragi became cheaper by two per cent each and urad prices dipped by one per cent.

With safflower prices coming down by three per cent, raw cotton prices down by two per cent, rape seed and mustard seed prices fell by one per cent, the index for non-food articles saw a minuscule decline to 378 from 378.1.