New Delhi, Jan. 9 -- India's retail inflation likely inched up to 1.6% in December from 0.7% in November, driven by shallower deflation in food items and the fading impact of a favourable base effect, according to a Mint poll of 15 economists. This would mark what economists describe as the final month of the country's ultra-low inflation.

Economists surveyed in the poll expect the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to come in within a wide range of 1.3-2.3% in December. If the poll's median projections prove accurate, this would be the fifth time in the past six months that inflation has fallen below the lower band of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) 2-6% inflation target mandate.

The official data is scheduled to be released on 12 January. ...