Short-term inflation up 4.18% year-on-year as food prices keep cost pressures elevated

The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) increased 4.18% year-on-year, reflecting continued pressure on household budgets, according to the latest weekly data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

The SPI for the week ended January 22, 2026 declined 0.48% on a week-on-week basis, driven by lower prices of several essential items.

Food items accounted for most of the weekly price movements, with vegetables, pulses, edible oils and staple items showing notable volatility. The data also showed that essential commodities continued to drive inflation trends, with non-food items such as energy-related inputs contributing to price pressures during the period.

Prices fell for chicken by 16.68%, potatoes by 8.52%, onions by 7.27%, liquefied petroleum gas by 3.54%, salt powder by 1.52%, gur by 1.00%, vegetable ghee (2.5 kg) by 0.87%, cooking oil (5 litres) by 0.53%, pulse masoor by 0.27% and cigarettes by 0.11%.

During the same week, prices increased for tomatoes by 9.83%, bananas by 3.66%, wheat flour by 2.27%, eggs by 1.02%, firewood by 0.56%, pulse mash by 0.53%, pulse moong by 0.43%, shirting by 0.27%, pulse gram by 0.16% and sugar by 0.14%.

Out of 51 essential items tracked across 50 markets in 17 urban centres, prices of 12 items increased, 11 declined, while 28 items remained unchanged during the week.

On a year-on-year basis, significant increases were recorded in wheat flour at 38.60%, eggs at 35.99%, gas charges for Q1 at 29.85%, beef at 12.75%, chilli powder at 12.56%, firewood at 10.83%, tomatoes at 10.02%, bananas at 9.94%, powdered milk at 9.79%, gur at 9.42%, lawn printed fabric at 8.29% and shirting at 8.22%.

In contrast, annual declines were noted in potatoes at 47.26%, garlic at 36.28%, onions at 35.55%, pulse gram at 29.79%, tea at 17.79%, chicken at 16.79%, pulse mash at 12.57%, pulse masoor at 9.75%, diesel at 1.27% and petrol at 0.95%.