However, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) data furnished by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry was higher than the rise of 3.58 per cent reported for the corresponding period of 2017.

"The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 3.80 per cent (provisional) for the month of December, 2018 (over December, 2017) as compared to 4.64 per cent (provisional) for the previous month and 3.58 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year," the Ministry said in its review of "Index Numbers of Wholesale Price in India" for December.

"Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 3.27 per cent compared to a build up rate of 2.21 per cent in the corresponding period of the previous year."