Inflation declines to 7.24% due to lower vegetable prices

Chief Economist, Kotak Mahindra Bank Indranil Pan, said that Inflation data is positive but for RBI to react, the retail inflation needs to come down.

"On December 18 policy of RBI, we are expecting only CRR cut to happen. We expect a cut by 25 basis points in the CRR. Rate change is expected only in January," he added.

Food inflation, as a category in the WPI, rose to 8.5 per cent during the month, from 8.32 per cent a year ago. Food articles have 14.3 per cent share in the WPI basket. Though vegetables in general registered a decline, Potato and onion prices, however, shot up by 72.20 per cent and 17 per cent respectively year on year in November this year.

This is compared to a decline of 9.31 per cent and 35.15 per cent in the same period last year.

Wheat turned expensive by 23.19 per cent in November from a decline of 4.86 per cent in the same month a year ago. Cereals became dearer by 15.85 per cent from a rise of 2.15 per cent in the same month last year.

Pulses and eggs, meat and fish became costlier by 19.10 per cent and 14.19 per cent in November. These food items also saw a price surge by 14.96 per cent and 11.40 per cent respectively in November last year.

For the fuel and power category, inflation moderated to 10.02 per cent during the month from 15.48 per cent in November 2011. However, diesel inflation increased by 14.60 per cent last month.

In the manufactured items category, prices of cotton textiles, man-made textile, iron and steel, paper products besides rubber and plastic products rose relatively at a lower pace compared to the same month of the previous year.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Hexaware Q1 net profit down 10% at Rs 79.27 cr

Sebi plans to launch new platform for SMEs

Gold prices near 2-week high, sales down up to 30%

Tata, Tel Aviv University join hands to fund tech innovations