Coal news and updates

August inflation eases to 3.74%

September 15: India's wholesale price inflation eased in August on moderation in fuel costs and lower prices for vegetables and fruits.

The wholesale price index (WPI) rose 3.74% year-on-year last month (August 2013), said an official release from Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

In July, prices rose 5.19% from a year earlier.

The build-up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 3% compared to a build-up rate of 5.23% in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The index for the ‘Minerals’ group rose by 0.3% to  347.0 (provisional) from 346.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of barytes (10%), iron ore (3%), steatite and magnesite (2% each) and chromite (1%). However, the price of sillimanite (23%), copper ore (5%), zinc concentrate (4%) declined.

The WPI index of June, 2014, stands revised to 183 as compared to a provisional 182.6 and the annual rate of inflation, based on final index, stood at 5.66% as compared to 5.43% respectively, the statement said.