New Delhi, Mar 10: The annual rate of inflation slipped to 4.29 per cent for the week ending February 25, 2006 as against 4.34 per cent the previous week, mainly on account of lower prices of eggs, fish-marine, fruits and vegetables.

The inflation rate, calculated on a point-to-point basis, was 5.06 per cent during the period a year ago, according to official figures released here.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for all commodities slipped by 0.1 per cent to 197.0 from 197.1 for the previous week.

The final WPI for all commodities for the week ended December 31, 2005 stood at 197.1 as against 196.8 (provisionl) week's level, while the annual rate of inflation based on final index, calculated on point to point basis, stood at 4.56 per cent as compared to 4.40 per cent (provisional) for the same week.

The index for the primary articles group was down by 0.4 per cent to 194.5 from 195.2 for the previous week.

The index for Food Articles group remained lower as prices of eggs and fish-marine were down by four per cent each, fruits and vegetables by two per cent each, and barley, bajra, maize, jowar, gram and masur by one per cent each.

However, the prices of tea went up by eight per cent, poultry chicken by two per cent and fish-inland and urad by one per cent each.

The index for Non-Food Articles group declined by 0.2 per cent to 176.4 from 176.7 for the previous week due to lower prices of copra nd sunflower by two per cent each and safflower (kardi seed) and raw tobacco by one per cent each.

However, the prices of niger seed went up by two per cent and cotton seed by one per cent.

The index for the major group of fuel, power, light and lubricants remained unchanged at its previous week's level of 311.9. The index for manufactured products group rose by 0.1 per cent to 172.2 from 172.1 for the previous week. The index for Food Products group declined by 0.5 to 181.0 from 181.9 for the previous week due to lower prices of sugar, coconut oil, imported edible oil, oil cakes and rice bran oil by one per cent each.

However, the prices of gingelly oil improved by one per cent.

The index for Textiles group rose by 0.5 per cent to 130.5 from 129.9 for the previous week due to higher prices of cotton yarn-hanks (two per cent) and other cotton yarn and cotton yarn-cones by one per cent each.

However, the prices of polyster yarn and hessian cloth declined by two per cent and one per cent respectively.

The index for Paper and Paper Products group improved by 0.2 per cent to 178.3 from 178.0 for the previous week due to higher prices of newsprint by two per cent.

The index for Chemicals and Chemical Products group rose by 0.1 per cent to 189.2 from 189.1 for the previous week due to higher prices of fireworks by 10 per cent and synthetic resins by seven per cent.

However, the prices of bopp film slipped by one per cent.

The index for Non-Metallic Mineral Products group went up by 1.0 per cent to 177.5 from 175.8 for the previous week due to improvement in cement prices by one per cent.

The index for Basic Metals alloys and Metal Products group rose by 0.2 per cent to 211.8 from 211.4 for the previous week due to increase in prices of nickel alloy by 33 per cent.

However, the prices of zinc ingots declined by four per cent, alloy stainless steel by three per cent and of lead ingots by one per cent.

The index for Machinery and Machine Tools group rose by 0.2 per cent to 147.1 from 146.8 for the last week due to higher prices of electric motors: phase one by nine per cent, electric motors by six per cent and electric motors phase three by three per cent.

However, the prices of acsr conductors declined by 10 per cent.

UNI