NEW DELHI, Aug. 14 -- India's wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation slipped to a 25-month low of -0.58% in July, marking a second straight month in negative territory, provisional data from the Ministry of Commerce showed on Thursday.

The reading was well below economists' expectations of a 0.30% decline in a Reuters poll.

WPI, a proxy for producers' prices, stood at -0.13% in June, 0.13% in May, 0.85% in April, 2.25% in March, 2.45% in February, and 2.51% in January. The index was pulled down primarily by cheaper primary articles, especially food.

India's retail inflation also eased, growing at its slowest pace in eight years in July as food prices cooled, staying below the central bank target for the fifth month in a row.

July...