SPI-based inflation goes up 0.72 per cent

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation for the week ended on April 30, for the combined consumption group, witnessed an increase of 0.72 percent, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported Monday.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 126.84 points against 125.93 points registered in the previous week, the data release by SBP revealed.

The weekly SPI with base year 2015-16=100 is covering 17 urban centers and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.

The Sensitive Price Indicator for the lowest consumption group upto Rs 17,732 witnessed 0.91 percent decrease and went up from 131.32 points in last week to 132.18 points during the week under review.

Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs. 17,733-22,888, Rs. 22,889-29,517, Rs. 29,518-44,175 and above Rs 44,175 per month increased by 0.72 percent, 0.74 percent, 0.81 percent and 0.68 percent respectively. During the week, prices of 11 items decreased, 13 items decreased while that of 27 items remained constant.

The items, which recorded decrease in their average prices included, eggs, onions, tomatoes, garlic, LPG Cylinder, masoor pulse, gram pulse, wheat flour, gur, mustard oil and vegetable ghee.

The commodities, which recorded increase in their average prices included banans, chicken, milk (fresh), pottoes, curd, moong pulse, mash pulse, sugar, beef, rice (Basmati broken), rice (Irri-6/9, milk (powdered), mutton.

Similarly, the prices of the commodities that observed no change in their price during the week under review included bread, cooking oil, vegetable ghee (tin), salt, chillies, tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked dall, cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette gents sandal, gents sponge, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, firewood, energy saver, washing soap, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone call and toilet soap.

According to the PBS analysis, this increase was mainly due to a rise in prices of food items i.e. bananas (10.94%), chicken (7.72%), milk fresh (1.91%), potatoes (1.81%) and curd (1.08%) with joint impact of 1.06 into the overall SPI for combined group of (0.72%).