CPI inflation increases to 31.5%

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased to 31.5 per cent on year-on-year (YoY) basis in February 2023 as compared to the corresponding month of last year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Wednesday.

On month-on-month basis, it increased to 4.3 in February 2023 as compared to an increase of 2.9% in the previous month (January 2022).

On a year-on-year basis, the top few food commodities that witnessed an increase in prices in February as compared to the corresponding month of last year included onions (416.74%), chicken (96.86%), eggs (78.73%), rice (77.81%), wheat flour (55.92%), gram whole (64.93%), pulse moong (56.43), pulse gram (55.99%), mustard oil (48.11%), pulse mash (50.77%), fresh fruits (45.17%), cooking oil (50.66%), milk fresh (31.99%), vegetable ghee (45.89%), fish (21.49%), pulse masoor (27.76%), meat (20.82%), fresh vegetables (11.60%), potatoes (22.42%) and cigarettes (59.20%).
The non-food commodities that witnessed an increase during the period on a year on year basis included textbooks (74.13%), transport services (33.13%), motor vehicle accessories (37.04%), motor vehicles (38.774%), marriage hall charges (25.50%), stationery (61.37), construction input items (38.51%), medical test (17.90%), and liquefied hydrocarbons (48.37%).

The CPI inflation Urban, increased to 28.8% on year-on-year basis in Feb 2023 as compared to an increase of 24.4% in the previous month and 12.20% in Feb 2022. On month-on-month basis, it increased to 4.5% in Feb 2023 as compared to an increase of 2.4% in the previous month and an increase of 0.9% in February 2022.
CPI inflation Rural, increased to 35.6% on year-on-year basis in Feb 2023 as compared to an increase of 32.3% in the previous month and 13.3% in Feb 2022. On month-on-month basis, it increased to 4.0% in Feb 2023 as compared to an increase of 3.6% in the previous month and an increase of 1.5% in February 2022.

Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) inflation on year-on-year increased to 33.6% in Feb 2023 as compared to an increase of 300.5% a month earlier and 18.7% in Feb 2022. On MoM basis, it increased by 3.7% in Feb 2023 as compared to an increase of 1.3% a month earlier and an increase of 1.3% in Feb 2022.

Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation on year-on-year basis increased to 36.4% in Feb 2023 as compared to an increase of 28.5% a month earlier and an increase of 23.6% in February 2022.

On month-on-month basis, it increased by 8.2% in Feb 2023 as compared to an increase of 1.8 a month earlier and an increase of 01.9% in corresponding month of last year i.e. February 2022. (APP)