Weekly inflation rises 1.4%, reaches 13.09% year-on-year

Pakistan’s weekly inflation, measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), increased 1.40% during the week ended July 16, 2026, driven by sharp increases in tomato, chicken, LPG and fuel prices, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

On a year-on-year basis, the SPI rose 13.09% compared with the corresponding week of 2025. The index covers 51 essential items collected from 50 markets across 17 cities.

Tomato prices recorded the largest weekly increase, rising 22.79% to an average of Rs250.47 per kilogram from Rs203.98 a week earlier. Chicken prices climbed 14.66% to Rs383.11 per kilogram from Rs334.14.

The price of an 11.67-kilogram LPG cylinder rose 12.46% to Rs4,454.62 from Rs3,961.05. High-speed diesel increased 4.41% to Rs325.06 per litre, while petrol rose 4.40% to Rs312.53 per litre.

Other weekly increases included garlic at 3.72%, eggs at 2.15%, Lipton tea at 1.56%, onions at 1.53%, potatoes at 0.85%, prepared tea at 0.42% and firewood at 0.18%.

Prices of four items declined during the week. Bananas became 0.80% cheaper, pulse moong fell 0.70%, sugar declined 0.36% and pulse masoor eased 0.10%.

Of the 51 essential items monitored by the PBS, prices of 27 items increased, four declined and 20 remained unchanged.

The year-on-year data showed that tomato prices were 210.18% higher than in the corresponding week last year. Onion prices increased 75.93%, while wheat flour became 71.81% more expensive.

Electricity charges for the lowest consumption group rose 49.14% over the year, while LPG increased 42.50% and gas charges climbed 29.85%. Prices of men’s sponge chappals rose 16.69%, mutton 16.02%, chilli powder 15.20% and beef 13.60%.

Average wheat flour prices stood at Rs2,578.86 for a 20-kilogram bag, compared with Rs1,500.99 a year earlier. Onion prices averaged Rs101.62 per kilogram against Rs57.76, while mutton reached Rs2,373.74 per kilogram from Rs2,046.01.

Several essential food items, however, remained cheaper than a year earlier. Potato prices fell 36.28%, pulse gram 21.71%, sugar 21.10%, chicken 16.71%, salt powder 14.09%, pulse masoor 13.19%, eggs 12.42% and pulse moong 8.08%.

The weekly increase varied across income groups. The highest expenditure group, covering households spending more than Rs44,175, recorded the largest week-on-week increase of 1.58%.

The lowest expenditure group, comprising households spending up to Rs17,732, experienced a weekly increase of 1.11%. Inflation rose 1.18% for the second quintile, 1.17% for the third and 1.28% for the fourth.

On a year-on-year basis, the second expenditure group recorded the highest inflation at 15.57%, followed by the lowest expenditure group at 13.63% and the third group at 13.21%.

Annual inflation stood at 12.30% for the fourth expenditure group and 11.32% for the highest-income group.

The combined SPI index increased to 357.61 during the week from 352.66 a week earlier and 316.23 in the corresponding week of last year.