Inflation declined to 5.44 per cent for the week ended May 5 against 5.66 per cent in the previous week owing to lower prices of essential food items and some manufactured products.
The wholesale price-based inflation stood at 4.37 per cent during the corresponding week of previous year.
During the week, prices of sooji, khandsari and oil cakes, sugar, atta, moong, barley, condiments and spices, and niger seed declined while imported eatable oil and salt got dearer.
There was a marginal rise in prices of cement as well followed by aviation turbine fuel and naphtha.