Wholesale price inflation stayed in the negative for the second consecutive month in November at (-) 0.32 per cent, even though there was an uptick in prices of food articles like pulses and vegetables on a month-on-month basis, government data showed on Monday. Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation was at (-) 1.21 per cent in October and 2.16 per cent in November last year.

However, on an annual basis, the negative rate of inflation during November was primarily due to a decrease in prices of food articles, mineral oils, crude petroleum & natural gas, the manufacture of basic metals and electricity, the industry ministry said in a statement. Food articles continued to witness deflation for the past eight months, beginning in April. It narrowed sharply in November at 4.16 per cent, from 8.31 per cent in October.