NEW DELHI: India's wholesale price index rose 5.74 per cent in the 12 months to March 31, lower than the previous week's increase of 6.39 per cent, data showed on Friday. The figure was below a forecast of an annual 5.81 per cent in a Reuters poll of analysts but above the central bank's projection of 5.0-5.5 per cent for the end of the financial year. March 31 was the last day of the 2006/07 financial year.
The annual inflation rate was 3.98 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year.
The wholesale price index is more closely watched than the consumer price index, which is published monthly, because it covers a higher number of products and is published weekly.
