Retail inflation likely up at 2.2% in August: Mint poll

India's retail inflation likely inched up to 2.2% in August from 1.6% in July, driven by a modest rise in prices of select food items, even as low overall food inflation is expected to keep it near the lower end of Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) inflation-target band, a Mint poll of 17 economists showed.

- Manjul Paul

Economists polled expect consumer price index (CPI) inflation to range between 1.7% and 2.5%. The official data will be released on 12 September.

Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at Bank of Baroda, noted that while prices of tomatoes and onions saw an uptick, the overall number is likely to remain moderate, supported by a favourable base and subdued food inflation.