Kathmandu, July 26 -- Nepal's wholesale inflation climbed to a 39-month high of 8.47 percent in mid-June, up sharply from 1.56 percent a year earlier, as the West Asia crisis sent fuel prices soaring.

The surge was largely driven by a 48.14 percent increase in energy prices, which pushed wholesale prices of manufactured goods up by 10.97 percent, according to the Nepal Rastra Bank.

The central bank said year-on-year wholesale prices of consumption goods declined by 1 percent in mid-June, while intermediate goods rose by 14.64 percent and capital goods by 4.78 percent.

Intermediate goods are semi-finished products, components and raw materials-such as steel, microchips and flour-that are used to produce other goods.

Wholesale inflation...