Sensitive Price Indicator based weekly inflation in Pakistan witnesses increase

Sensitive Price Indicator based weekly inflation in Pakistan witnesses increase

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based weekly inflation for the week ended on April 23 witnessed an increase of 0.62pc, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Friday.

The SPI for the week under review for the combined consumption group was recorded at 125.93 points, as against 125.16 points registered in the previous week.

The weekly SPI, with base year 2015-16=100, covers 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.

Inflation for the lowest consumption group, up to Rs17,732, witnessed an increase of 0.91pc, from 130.14 points last week to 131.32 points during the week under review.

Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,733-Rs22,888, Rs22,889-Rs29,517, Rs29,518-Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175 per month increased by 0.82pc, 0.72pc, 0.68pc and 0.52pc, respectively.

During the week, prices of 12 items decreased, 14 items increased, while that of 25 items remained unchanged.

The items that recorded a decrease in their average prices included tomatoes, eggs, pulse (gram, masoor, mash, moong), LPG cylinder, cooking oil, vegetable ghee (tin), wheat flour, vegetable ghee (loose) and sugar.

The commodities which recorded an increase in their average prices included potatoes, onions, bananas, chicken, garlic, milk (fresh), rice (Irri-6/9), curd, gur, rice (Basmati broken), mutton, beef, mustard oil and firewood.

Similarly, commodities that observed no change in their prices during the week under review included bread, milk (powdered), salt, chillies, tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked daal, tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents sponge chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, energy saver, washing soap, matchbox, petrol, diesel, telephone call charges and toilet soap.