ISLAMABAD : The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation report ended on March 26, for the combined consumption group, witnessed a decrease by 1.25 percent as compared to the previous week.
According to the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 128.10 points against 129.72 points registered in the previous week.
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 up to Rs17,732 witnessed 0.22 percent decrease and went down from 133.69 points in last week to 133.39 points during the week under review.
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 11.86 percent, while, for the lowest group, it increased by 12.52 percent.
Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,733-22,888, Rs22,889-29,517, Rs29,518-44,175 and above Rs44,175 per month also decreased by 0.51 percent, 0.71 percent, 1.00 percent and 1.66 percent respectively.
During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 5 items decreased, 19 items decreased while that of 27 items remained constant. The items, which recorded decrease in their average prices included chicken, petrol, diesel, LPG and gur.
The commodities, which recorded increase in their average prices included eggs, gram pulse, moong pulse, wheat flour, garlic, onions, bananas, mash pulse, bread, tomatoes, sugar, milk (fresh), potatoes, firewood, mustard oil, mutton, curd and vegetable ghee.
Similarly, the prices of the commodities that observed no change in their price during the week under review included rice (basmati broken), rice (Irri 6/9), beef, milk (powdered), cooking oil (tin), vegetable ghee (tin), salt, chillies, tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked daal, tea (Prepared), cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, Georgette, gents sandal, gents sponge chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, energy saver, washing soap, match box, telephone local call and bath soap.
According to PBS analysis, the SPI for the week under review, the decrease was mainly due to decline in prices of food items i.e. chicken (-17.69%), gur (-0.48%) and among nonfood items petrol (-13.31%), diesel (-12.15%) and LPG (-2.44%) with joint impact of -1.74 into the overall SPI for combined group of (-1.25%).
