New Delhi, Sept 15:
Wholesale price-based inflation rose to 9.92 per cent in August from 9.78 per cent in July, driven by higher prices of food, manufactured products and fuel and power, according to government data released on Monday.
Inflation in the food index increased to 7.05 per cent in August from 6.65 per cent in July. Inflation in manufactured products also touched a series high of 8.37 per cent, compared with 8.29 per cent in the previous month.
The fuel and power basket recorded wholesale inflation of 22.93 per cent. The Commerce and Industry Ministry said mineral oils, food articles, manufactured food products, basic metals, non-food articles and chemicals were among the major drivers of WPI inflation in August.
The wholesale inflation trend has been upward since the beginning of the current fiscal, with the West Asia conflict and the resultant disruption around the Strait of Hormuz pushing up global crude oil and fertiliser costs, with a spillover impact on food prices.
The RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee kept the benchmark policy rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent last month and projected retail inflation at 5 per cent for 2026-27, citing deficient and uneven southwest monsoon conditions amid El Nino.