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Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Wednesday said the fuel price hike will further increase inflation in July, but it will fall below double digits by the end of December. "I think although there will be an adjustment upward (in inflation) when fuel price hike gets fed in July numbers. I don't alter my conclusion that at the end of the year it will be low," said Ahluwalia. "The inflation will be well below double-digit by the end of this year. The June inflation number seems to be consistent with the sort of cautious optimism we have been expressing. You will see more decline as time goes by," he added on the sidelines of an Indo-Oman event. Ahluwalia further said the high inflation cannot be avoided by not adjusting fuel prices. "This will result in huge losses to oil marketing companies. You will cover these losses by hidden subsidies that would generate inflationary pressure," he claimed.

Ahluwalia expects prices to fall by December