Inflation remained unchanged at 12.14 per cent for the week ended September 13 even as the finance ministry said prices of essential items like cereals, pulses, sugar and edible oils declined on weekly basis.

High inflation of 12.14 per cent, which is the same as the previous week's figure, has prompted analysts to say that price rise will remain at double digits by the end of this calendar year due to base effect.

• Inflation, the silent killer

Inflation figure remained intact despite a low base of 3.51 per cent in the year-ago period.

The finance ministry said in a statement here that inflation of 30 essential items declined to 7.58 per cent during the week under review compared to 7.72 per cent in the previous week.

While prices of food items like salt, sea fish, tea, fruits, condiments and spices rose, rates of imported edible oil declined, giving some relief to the government which was unable to control its prices because of rise in global rates.

Among manufactured goods, items like tobacco, rubber, chemicals, mineral and machinery turned dearer.