May inflation at (-)2.36 pc

"Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 0.91% compared to a build up rate of 0.94% in the corresponding period of the previous year," read a government statement.

The government data said: "The index for ‘Food Articles’ group rose by 0.5 percent to 253.9 (provisional) from 252.7 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of gram (11%), urad (8%), arhar (6%), masur and tea (5% each), moong (4%), fish-marine (3%),      egg (2%) and jowar, condiments & spices and milk (1% each).  However, the price of beef & buffalo meat, poultry chicken and barley (3% each), ragi (2%) and maize, wheat, coffee, pork and fruits & vegetables (1% each) declined."

"The index for  ‘Non-Food Articles’ group rose by 5.1 percent to 213.9 (provisional) from 203.5 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of soyabean (15%), guar seed and sugarcane (13% each), flowers (9%), raw wool (7%), logs & timber, groundnut seed and raw rubber (6% each), raw cotton (5%), castor seed (4%), sunflower and cotton seed (2% each) and safflower (kardi seed), mesta, rape & mustard seed and raw jute  (1% each).  However, the price of raw silk, gingelly seed and niger seed (7% each) and copra (coconut) (4%) and fodder (1%) declined," it said.

"The index for  ‘Minerals’ group rose by 0.4 percent to 247.7 (provisional) from 246.6 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of sillimanite (9%), crude petroleum (4%) and zinc concentrate and copper ore (2% each).  However, the price of barytes (13%), manganese ore (7%), magnesite (5%) and chromite and iron ore (4% each) declined," read the data.

"The index for this major group rose by 3.0 percent to 189.8 (provisional) from 184.2 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of furnace oil (12%), petrol (8%), high speed diesel (4%), bitumen (3%), electricity (agricultural) (2%) and electricity (railway traction), electricity (industry) and electricity (domestic) (1% each)," it said.