Rising Inflation, Slow IIP Growth Raise Rate Cut Hopes

The August 2019 retail inflation rate is the highest since October 2018, when it was recorded at 3.38 per cent.

(File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: Driven by costlier food items, retail inflation inched up to 10-month high of 3.21 per cent in August but remained within the RBI's comfort level and may prompt the central bank for one more round of rate cut as another set of government data revealed industrial production growth slowed to 4.3 per cent in July. Inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 3.15 per cent in July this year. Compared year over year, it was 3.69 per cent in August 2018. The August 2019 retail inflation rate is the highest since October 2018, when it was recorded at 3.38 per cent. Inflation in the food basket was 2.99 per cent, up from 2.36 per cent in July. The August data released by the National Statistics Office in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on Thursday also provided details of inflation in segments like 'health', 'recreation and amusement' and 'personal care and effects'.