Bad condition of middle class, inflation increased in the country for the fifth consecutive month, inflation rate reached 3.93 percent

New Delhi: Inflation in the country seems to be gaining momentum once again and with this, the retail inflation rate has increased to 3.93 percent in May 2026, which was 3.48 percent in April. Let us tell you, an increase in inflation has been recorded for the fifth consecutive month and this is the first time that the inflation rate has reached close to 4 percent in the last few months. Retail inflation was 2.74 percent in January this year but since then it has been increasing continuously. With this, a monthly increase of 0.75 percent was recorded in the inflation rate in May, which is considered to be the biggest jump in one month in the last 16 months.

Why is inflation continuously increasing?

According to experts, the biggest reason for increasing inflation is the rise in food prices. Food inflation increased to 4.78 percent in May, whereas it was 4.2 percent in April. Whereas food inflation in rural areas was 4.85 percent and in urban areas it was 4.66 percent. During this period, the increase in prices of fruits, vegetables and other essential food items has affected the household budget of the people.

Prices of food items increase

Not only this, the cost of food and drink related services has also increased. Due to this, inflation in the restaurant, hotel and food service sectors has been recorded at more than 5 percent. Its pressure has been seen on transport services. Due to which inflation in services related to freight transportation has reached 7.63 percent. It is believed that the ongoing tension in West Asia, supply chain challenges and high prices of crude oil are the main reasons for this.

Rise in gold and silver prices

There has also been a huge jump in the prices of gold, silver and other precious metals. The increase in gold prices in the global market has also affected the domestic market. Apart from this, this has been seen in the expenses related to higher education in the education sector.

Let us tell you, the latest inflation figures have increased the concern of the Reserve Bank of India. Economists believe that if crude oil prices remain high and food supply remains under pressure, then the possibility of an increase in interest rates in the coming time cannot be ruled out. In such a situation, the EMI of the loan can also become expensive.