New Delhi: For the week ended September 15, inflation rate eased further to 3.23 per cent, as compared to 3.32 per cent in the previous week, primarily because of falling pices of fruits and vegetables, milk, pulses and a few manufactured items.

In the corresponding week of the previous year (2006), the wholesale price-based index stood at 5.27 per cent.

In the last few weeks, the inflation rate remained below the RBI prediction of close to 5 per cent for the existing year, fuelling anticipations of a more lenient monetary position in the forthcoming half-yearly appraisal of credit plan by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Among manufactured items, coconut oil turned down by 4 per cent, whereas zinc came down by 10 per cent, which is being followed by aluminium ingot and other aluminium materials.

But, cement prices ascended by 0.2% in the week accompanied by other items such as steel furniture and hydraulic pump.