India's wholesale price inflation accelerated to 9.68 per cent in May, up from 8.26 per cent in April, driven by a sharp increase in the prices of fuel and power, food products and manufactured goods.
The data, released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Monday, reflects the revised Wholesale Price Index (WPI) series with 2022-23 as the new base year, replacing the earlier 2011-12 base.
Inflation in the fuel and power category rose significantly to 30.33 per cent in May, compared with 24.89 per cent in April, highlighting the impact of rising energy costs on wholesale prices.
Within the segment, inflation in crude petroleum and natural gas surged to 61.51 per cent, up from 56.31 per cent in the previous month, contributing substantially to the overall increase in wholesale inflation.
The rise in WPI inflation was also supported by higher prices of food articles and manufactured products, indicating broad-based cost pressures across key sectors of the economy. The latest data suggests that elevated commodity and energy prices continue to influence input costs and wholesale-level inflation trends.