The inflation rate fell marginally to 4.88 per cent during the week ended November 8 despite a rise in prices of essential items like wheat, tea, maize, textiles, paper, metal and machines.

The overall price level declined from 5.01 per cent in the previous week but was higher than 3.45 per cent a year ago.

The wholesale price index remained unchanged at previous week's level of 176.1 although the index for primary articles dipped by 0.1 per cent while that of fuel and manufactured products remained static. WPI was 167.9 a year ago.

Final WPI stood at 175.4 during the week ended September 13 as against the provisional figure of 175, while final inflation rate was 4.59 per cent as against 4.35 per cent.

Primary articles group index fell by 0.1 per cent to 183.5 from 183.6 despite 0.1 per cent rise in prices of food articles, while non-food article prices dipped by 0.3 per cent.

The index for food articles rose to 186 from 185.9 due to costlier mutton (5.0 per cent), fish-marine, poultry chicken, tea (4.0 per cent each), moong, barley, maize (2.0 per cent each), wheat, fish-inland and eggs (1.0 per cent each).

However, prices of bajra and urad fell 2.0 per cent each while that of rice, fruits and vegetables, condiments and spices dipped by 1.0 per cent each.

Non-food articles group index dipped to 182.5 from 183.1 due to cheaper cotton seed, safflower, gingelly seed (2.0 per cent each), raw rubber, rape and mustard seed, groundnut seed, raw cotton, linseed and raw jute (1.0 per cent each).

Prices were higher for raw wool (6.0 per cent), niger seed (3.0 per cent), tobacco, soyabean (2.0 per cent), copra, castor seed and raw silk (1.0 per cent each).