Weekly inflation up 0.21pc

The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based weekly inflation (as on Feb 6) for the combined consumption group increased by 0.21pc as compared to the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 131.35 points as against 131.08 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

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

The SPI for the lowest consumption group, up to Rs17,732, witnessed 0.48pc increase, from 134.06 points in the last week to 134.70 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 17.58pc, while for the lowest group, it increased by 16.18pc.

Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,733-Rs22,888, from Rs22,889-Rs29,517, Rs29,518-Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175 per month also increased by 0.42pc, 0.35pc, 0.28pc and 0.09pc, respectively.

During the week under review, average prices of eight items registered a decrease, while that of 16 items prices increased with prices of 27 items remaining unchanged.

The items that recorded a decrease in their average prices included tomatoes, eggs, potatoes, LPG cylinder, wheat flour, chicken, pulse (mash and gram).

On the other hand, the items which recorded an increase in their average prices included garlic, vegetable ghee (loose), vegetable ghee (tin), cooking oil, onions, sugar, gur, pulse (moong, masoor), bananas, tea (prepared), firewood, bread, rice (Irri-6/9), mustard oil and mutton.

Similarly, the prices of the commodities that observed no change in their prices during the week under review included rice (basmati broken), beef, milk (fresh), curd, milk (powdered), salt, chillies, tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked daal, cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents sponge chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, energy saver, washing sop, matchbox, petrol, diesel, telephone call and toilet soap.

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