Inflation fell for the ninth consecutive week on Friday to a 10-month low of 5.91 per cent for the week ended December 27, owing to cheaper food and manufactured items.

Inflation, measured by movement in the wholesale prices, dipped by 0.47 per centage points from 6.38 per cent in the previous week. It stood at 3.83 per cent a year ago.

The previous low was recorded at 5.69 per cent for the week ended February 23, 2008.

The index of food articles group declined by 0.7 per cent as prices of jowar fell by five per cent, fruits and vegetables by three per cent, eggs and bajra by one per cent each.

In case of manufactured goods, imported edible oil became cheaper by one per cent, polyester fibre by two per cent and newsprint by one per cent.

The index of fuel remained unchanged and also there was no movement in the prices of cement and iron and steel during the week.

However, the items which became expensive during the week were unrefined oil (up 14 per cent) and khandsari (2 percent), groundnut oil (2 per cent) and pulses (0.2 per cent).

The inflation has been declining after it touched a peak of 12.91 per cent in August last year.