SPI based weekly inflation down 0.19 pc

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation for the week ended on February 01 for the combined income groups witnessed decrease of 0.19 percent as compared to previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 222.38 points against 222.80 points last week, according to the latest data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed increase of 1.69 per cent.

The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007, 2008=100, covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups.

Meanwhile, the SPI for the lowest income group up to Rs 8,000 also decreased by 0.40 percent as it went down from 211.94 points in the previous week to 211.1 points in the week under review.

As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs 8001 to 12,000, Rs 12,001 to 18,000, Rs 18,001 to 35,000 and above Rs 35,000, also decreased by 0.35 percent, 0.31 percent, 0.24 percent and 0.03 percent respectively.

During the week under review, average prices of 16 items registered decrease, while 13 items increased with the remaining 24 items’ prices unchanged.

The items, which registered decrease in their prices during the week under review included potatoes, onions, tomatoes, chicken (live), bathing soap, garlic, gur, pulse masoor, pulse gram, LPG cylinder, pulse mash, sugar, red chilly powder, wheat, vegetable ghee, and wheat flour.

The items, which registered increase in prices included Hi Speed Diesel, kerosene oil, petrol, bananas, eggs (farm), pulse moong, Shirting, rice Irri-6, long cloth, firewood, mutton, rice basmati (broken), and powdered milk.

The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included bread plain, beef, milk fresh, curd, mustard oil, cooking oil, vegetable ghee, salt powder, tea, cooked beef, cooked pulses, tea prepared, cigarettes, lawn printed, georgette, gents sandal, gents shoes, ladies shoes, gas charges, electric bulb, washing soap, match box, and telephone local call charges.