ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based weekly inflation for the week ended on April 30 witnessed an increase of 0.72pc, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Monday.
The SPI for the week under review for the combined consumption group was recorded at 126.84 points, as against 125.93 points registered in the previous week.
The weekly SPI, with base year 2015-16, covers 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.
The SPI for the lowest consumption group, up to Rs17,732, witnessed a 0.91pc increase, from 131.32 points in the last week to 132.18 points during the week under review.
Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,733-Rs22,888, Rs22,889-Rs29,517, Rs29,518-Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175 per month increased by 0.72pc, 0.74pc, 0.81pc and 0.68pc, respectively.
During the week, prices of 11 items decreased, 13 items increased while that of 27 items remained unchanged.
The items that recorded a decrease in their average prices included eggs, onions, tomatoes, garlic, LPG cylinder, pulses (masoor and gram), wheat flour, gur, mustard oil and vegetable ghee.
Meanwhile, the commodities that recorded an increase in their average prices included bananas, chicken, milk (fresh and powdered), potatoes, curd, pulses (moong, mash), sugar, beef, rice (basmati broken and Irri-6/9), and mutton.
Similarly, the prices of the commodities that observed no change in their price during the week under review included bread, cooking oil, vegetable ghee (tin), salt, chilli, tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked daal, cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette gents sandal, gents sponge, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, firewood, energy saver, washing soap, matchbox, petrol, diesel, telephone call and toilet soap.
According to the PBS analysis, this increase was mainly due to a rise in prices of food items i.e. bananas (10.94pc), chicken (7.72pc), milk fresh (1.91pc), potatoes (1.81pc) and curd (1.08pc).
