Weekly inflation falls slightly

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The weekly inflation measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), witnessed a decrease of 0.09 per cent for the combined consumption groups during the week ended on March 28, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Friday.

According to the PBS data, the SPI for the week under review in the above-mentioned group was recorded at 323.20 points as compared to 323.50 points during the past week.

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 29.41 per cent.

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

The SPI for the lowest consumption group up to Rs. 17,732, decreased by 0.27 per cent and went down to 313.35 points from last week’s 314.20 points.

The SPI for consumption groups from Rs. 17,732-22,888, Rs. 22,889-29,517; Rs. 29,518-44,175 and above Rs. 44,175, decreased by 0.22 percent, 0.17 percent, 0.12 and 0.03 percent respectively.

During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 04 (7.84%) items increased, 18 (35.30%) items decreased and 29 (56.86%) items remained stable.

The items, which recorded a decrease in their average prices on a week-on-week basis included tomatoes (12.04%), wheat flour (3.80%), garlic (2.59%), LPG (2.42%), onions (1.74%), potatoes (1.07%), bananas (0.77%), pulse gram (0.57%) and sugar (0.49%).

The items that recorded an increase in their prices included LPG (1.49%), chicken (4.92%), eggs (1.61%), shirting (0.56%) and rice Irri 6/9 (0.15%).

On Year-on-Year basis, the commodities that witnessed decrease included cooking oil 5 litre (20.50%), bananas (20.20%), vegetable ghee 2.5 kg (17.87%), vegetable ghee 1 kg (17.72%), mustard oil (14.02%), diesel (2.47%), wheat flour (0.27%) and cigarettes (0.06%).

The commodities which recorded an increase in their average prices on year-on-year basis included gas charges for Q1 ( 570.00%), chilies powder (86.05%), onions (78.98%), gents sponge chappal (58.05%), gents sandal (53.37%), garlic (52.20%), gur (37.70%), chicken (37.57%), salt powder (33.29%), sugar (31.56%), energy saver (29.83%) and pulse mash (27.09%). (APP)