ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based weekly inflation for the week ended on December 17 witnessed a nominal decrease of 0.22pc as compared to the previous week.
The SPI for the week under review in the combined consumption group was recorded at 140.73 points against 141.04 points registered in the previous week, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
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 8.24pc.
The weekly SPI, with base year 2015-16, covers 17 urban centers and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.
The SPI for the lowest consumption group, up to Rs17,732, witnessed 0.96 percent decrease and went down from 147.46 points in last week to 146.04 points during the week under review.
Meanwhile, weekly inflation for the consumption groups from Rs17,732-Rs22,888, Rs22,889-Rs29,517; Rs29,518-Rs44,175; Rs29,518-Rs44,175; and above Rs44,175 per month also decreased by 0.60pc, 0.56pc, 0.51pc and 0.03pc, respectively.
During the week under review, prices of eight items decreased, 20 increased while that of 23 remained unchanged.
The items that recorded a decrease in their average prices included tomatoes (25.81pc), potatoes (18.55pc), onions (8.34pc), chicken (2.25pc), moong pulse (0.58pc), masoor pulse (0.32pc), gur (0.26pc) and wheat flour (0.21pc).
On the other hand, commodities that recorded an increase in their average prices included electricity charges, garlic, petrol, diesel, bananas, eggs, washing soap, mustard oil, sugar, cooking oil (loose), pulses (gram and mash), vegetable ghee (tin and loose), shirting, milk (powdered), rice (Irri 6/9), LPG cylinder, firewood and mutton.
Similarly, the prices of commodities that observed no change during the week under review included rice (basmati broken), bread, beef, milk (fresh), curd, salt, chillies, tea (prepared), cooked beef, cooked daal, tea (prepared) cigarettes, long cloth, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, gas charges, energy saver, matchbox, telephone call and toilet soap.
