The annual inflation rate fell by a mere 0.08 percentage points to 8.21 per cent during the week ended January 27, despite costlier manufactured products. The inflation rate based on Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for all commodities (base year: 1993-94 = 100) hovering over eight per cent for the fifth consecutive week was 8.29 per cent a week before, and 3.62 per cent a year ago. The WPI, however, was up by 0.1 per cent to a provisional figure of 158.1 during the week as against 158 in the previous week. The index was 146.1 during the same period last year. The final inflation rate was considerably higher at 8.33 per cent than the provisional level of 7.45 per cent during week ended December 2, last year. The final WPI during the week stood at 158.6 as against the provisional figure of 157.3. Fall in primary items by 0.2 per cent reduced the inflation rate marginally although manufactured items became costlier by 0.2 per cent, while fuel prices remained firm at the previous week's level. The index for primary articles' group fell to 161.4 from 161.7 in the previous week due to decline in prices of food articles by 0.2 per cent and non-food articles by 0.3 percent. The index was only 156 a year ago. Bureau Report