LAHORE: The consumer price index (CPI) inflation rose by 5.8 percent in October from a year earlier, showed the data by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Wednesday.
CPI inflation was recorded year on year at 7.7 percent in September and 9.1 percent in October 2013.
On month-on-month basis, CPI increased by 0.2 percent in October as compared to 0.4 percent in previous month September. It was increased by 2 percent in October 2013.
According to the available data, core inflation measured by non-food non-energy CPI increased by 7.8 percent in October 2014 as compared to 8.1 percent in the previous month and 8.4 percent in October 2013.
The wholesale price index and sensitive prices index in October increased by 1.3 percent and 4.1 percent respectively when compared to October 2013, showed the PBS data.
Prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages (non-perishable food items and perishable food items) during the October of current year increased by 4.41 percent, alcoholic beverages and tobacco by 22.16 percent, clothing and footwear by 8.53 percent, furnishings and household equipment maintenance increased by 7.84 percent and healthcare charges by 5.93 percent as compared to the corresponding month last year. Charges related to transport went up 3.95 percent, communication 0.13 percent, recreation and culture 3.95 percent, education 14.59 percent, restaurants and hotel 8.50 percent and housing, water, electricity tariff 5.62 percent in October 2014 over the same month in 2013.
The food items that rose in the prices during October 2014 as compare to September 2014 included fresh fruits 3.70 percent, dry fruits 1.83 percent, pulse mash 1.59 percent, tea, betel leaves and nuts 1.07 percent and pulse gram 1.02 percent. The food items that witnessed decrease in the prices during the period October 2014 were tomatoes (12.12%), chicken (4.22) percent, fresh vegetables (3.33%), onion (2.47%), sugar (2.45%) and potatoes (1.51%) as compared to the previous month.
The non-food items that increased during the month included house rent 1.40 percent, while the non food items that went down during the month included kerosene oil 1.36 percent and motor fuel 1.21 percent.
On year-on-year basis, the food items, which showed upward trend during October 2014 over the same month of last year included potatoes (57.95 percent), cigarettes (22.38 percent), pulse moong (20.48 percent), pulse mash (21.05 percent), masoor (14.32 percent) and fresh fruits (14.82 percent).
On the other hand, food items that witnessed decrease in prices during October 2014 as compared to October 2013 included onions (22.43 %), tea (16.48%) and tomatoes (15.29%). In non-food items group only motor vehicle tax moved up to 36.71 percent.
