New Delhi, Aug 10: Inflation fell to 27-week low of 4.09 per cent, shedding 0.5 per cent during the week ended on July 26 with primary articles and manufactured products becoming cheaper. The point-to-point Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation fell to little over four per cent, which is also this fiscal's lowest level, but prices of essential items like vegetables and fruits soared. The rate was 4.59 per cent a week ago.

The quarterly review, an offshoot of the passage of fiscal responsibility and budget management bill in Parliament, said the inflation was decelerating.
The WPI inflation stood at 3.04 per cent during the same period of 2002-03.

WPI fell by 0.2 per cent to 172.9 points in the last week of July even as fuel prices stood unchanged though global oil prices witnessed a decline on the reports of death of Saddam Hussein's sons and the index was 166.1 points in the previous year period.
Government made a final revision in WPI at 173 points for the week ended on May 31 as compared to the provisional figure of 172.5 points and the final inflation stood at 5.75 per cent as against the provisional mark of 5.44 per cent.

The index of mass consumption primary articles' group was down by 0.3 per cent to 179.4 points due to fall in the prices of food and non-food articles and it was 173.3 in the previous year period.
Bureau Report