News: India inflation at 3.96 pct

(RTR 06/04/2006) New Delhi - Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said on Thursday the country's wholesale price inflation rate rose 3.96 percent in the year to March 25, slowing from 4.06 percent a week earlier, television reported.

This is the lowest rate for nearly 3 years.

"Inflation will be reported today at 3.96 (percent), (its) gone below 4 (percent)," he told a function in Bangalore, according to CNBC TV18 news channel.

The wholesale price index is more closely watched than the consumer price index, which is published monthly, because it has a higher number of products in its basket and is published weekly.