Weekly inflation rises 1.01% as energy, food prices increase

Weekly inflation, measured by the Sensitive Price Index, increased by 1.01% for the week ending April 2, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

The rise was led by a 26% hike in petrol prices, 13.28% increase in liquefied petroleum gas prices, along with higher prices of eggs (2.33%) and chicken (2.23%). Other items that recorded increases included pulse mash (1.74%), mutton (1.54%), fresh milk (0.63%), curd (0.60%), georgette (0.42%), shirting (0.41%), beef (0.39%), pulse masoor (0.28%) and lawn printed (0.10%).

Prices of some essential items declined during the week, including tomatoes (6.03%), garlic (3.38%), potatoes (1.22%), onions (1.21%), wheat flour (0.92%), bananas (0.50%), mustard oil (0.33%), firewood (0.19%) and sugar (0.15%).

Out of 51 items in the SPI basket, prices of 15 items increased, nine declined and 27 remained unchanged.

On a year-on-year basis, SPI inflation rose 9.12%, driven by increases in LPG (53.69%), diesel (29.94%), gas charges (29.85%), petrol (26.17%) and wheat flour (24.85%). Prices of onions, chilli powder, mutton, beef, powdered milk, rice and gur also recorded increases.

Meanwhile, prices of several items declined compared to last year, including potatoes (49.65%), pulse gram (17.52%), chicken (16.08%), salt powder (12.55%), sugar (11.48%), pulse masoor (11.32%), garlic (10.39%) and eggs (7.27%).