Inflation based on wholesale prices rose to a two-month high of 5.13 per cent last month, mainly due to hardening of food prices and rise in cost of petrol and diesel.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation stood at 4.53 per cent in August and 3.14 per cent in September last year. According to the government data released today, food articles witnessed hardening of prices with deflation at 0.21 per cent in September as against 4.04 per cent in August.

The 5.13 per cent inflation is the highest in two months.

In its fourth monetary policy review for the fiscal last week, the Reserve Bank maintained status quo on the benchmark interest rate but warned that volatile and rising oil prices, and tightening of global financial conditions pose substantial risks to the growth and inflation.