Weekly inflation dips 0.16pc

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based weekly inflation for the week ended on February 27 decreased by 0.16pc as compared to the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the combined consumption group was recorded at 129.15 points as against 130.67points registered in the previous week, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The weekly SPI was 100 collected with base 2015-16, covering 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.

The SPI for the lowest consumption group, up to Rs17,732, also witnessed a 1.34pc reduction, as it went down from 134.03 points in the last week to 132.23 points during the week under review.

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption group during the week under review witnessed an increase of 14.60pc, while for the lowest group, it increased by 12.94pc.

Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,733 to Rs22,888, from Rs22,889 to Rs29,517, Rs29,518 to Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175 per month also decreased by 1.85pc, 1.23pc, 0.92pc and 0.75pc, respectively.

During the week under review, average prices of 13 items registered a decrease, while that of 13 items prices increased with the prices of 25 items remaining unchanged.

The prices of the commodities that recorded an increase during the week under review included LPG, bananas, onions, vegetable ghee, washing soap, mustard oil, rice, curd, milk fresh, cooked dal, pulse (moong) and cooked beef.

On the other hand, the commodities that witnessed a reduction in their prices included tomatoes, eggs, chicken, sugar, wheat flour, firewood, electricity, pulse (mash) and gur.