SPI Data: Prices 15 basic ‘food items’ fly high

F.P Report

ISLAMABAD:  On Friday, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics issues the weekly inflation rate. As per the given data the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation for the week ended on December 31st, for the combined consumption group a decrease of 0.69 percent was witnesses as compared to the preceding week.

According to the latest data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the SPI for the week under review, the combined consumption group was recorded at 139.92 points against 140.89 points registered in the previous week.

Whereas in the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 6.13 percent.

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

Whereas the Sensitive Price Indicator for the lowest consumption group up to Rs17,732 witnessed 0.80 percent decrease and went down from 145.85 points in last week to 144.68 points during the week under review.

The latest data also shows that the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,732-22,888; Rs22,889-29,517; Rs29,518-44,175; and above Rs 44,175 per month decreased by 0.80 percent, 0.74 percent, 0.74 and 0.63 percent correspondingly.

During the week, prices of 10 items decreased, 15 items increased while that of 26 items remained constant. The commodities which recorded upsurge in their average prices, includes sugar, mash pulse, mustard oil, vegetable ghee (loose), cooking oil (loose), vegetable ghee (tin), moong pulse, prepared tea, eggs, mutton, wheat flour, beef, firewood, LPG Cylinder and cooked daal.

On the other hand the items that recorded decrease in their average prices, includes onions, potatoes, chicken, tomatoes, garlic, gram pulse, bananas, masoor pulse, gur and fresh milk.

Whereas, the prices of the commodities that observed no change during the week under review included rice (Basmati broken), rice (Irri 6/9), bread, curd, powdered milk, salt, chilies, packet tea, cooked beef, cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges,, energy saver, washing soap, match box, petrol, diesel ,telephone call and toilet soap.