“There is a tremendous upward pressure on inflation and I see it inching close to the 6 per cent mark by end-June,” Bank of Baroda Chief Economist Dr Rupa Rege Nitsure told PTI here.

“I expect inflation at around the 5.5 per cent level next month. Rising commodity and food prices will definitely pressurise inflation but much will depend on how oil prices move,” Crisil’s Director and Principal Economist D K Joshi added.

The economists see a limited role for monetary policy in reigning in inflation presently. “I expect the government to use administrative and fiscal tools to control inflation because the present rising inflationary trend is mainly due to supply-side problems,” Enam Securities Chief Economist Sachichidanand Shukla said.