Inflation to come down to 6% by year-end: PM

Seeking to allay concerns over pricerise, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday expressed confidence thatinflation would come down to 6 per cent by year-end.

"I am not an astrologer but analysts have said that bythe end of this year, inflation will come down to 6 per cent," Singh said.

He was responding to a question whether inflation would comedown and whether it was possible in view of the upcoming festival season.

Headline inflation in July moderated to an eight-month lowof 9.22 per cent, from 9.44 per cent in June, but items of mass consumption,including cereals and vegetables, and manufactured products continue to remaindearer.

Food inflation also slipped to 9.03 per cent for the weekended August 6, from 9.90 per cent in the previous week.

"Food inflation at the level of 9 per cent is notacceptable. I do hope the measures taken to remove supply constraints in someof the agricultural commodities and good monsoon will help to have furthermoderating influence on the prices of food and other essentialcommodities," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had said.