For the week ended Nov 22, India’s annual rate of inflation fell further to 8.4% as compared to 8.84% the week before on account of a sharp fall in petroleum fuels prices.

During the corresponding week of the last year (2007), the annual inflation rate was 3.11%.

The official wholesale price index (WPI) for all commodities dropped 0.6% to 233.7 during the week from 235.1 for the previous week.

Figures on wholesale prices released by the commerce and industry ministry indicated that the index for primary articles, which consists of food products, however, surged 0.1% during the week under review.

The index for fuels fell 2.3% because of a 23% decline in the rates of furnace oil, 14% for aviation fuel and 11% for light diesel oil.