Short-term inflation measured by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) fell 0.11% week-on-week and 1.41% year-on-year for the week ending June 12, 2025, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The year-on-year decline marks one of the first notable dips in consumer prices in recent months, led by reductions in fuel, food, and electricity charges.
Out of 51 tracked items, prices of 15 items increased, nine decreased, and 27 remained unchanged during the week.
The weekly decline was driven primarily by a sharp 11.32% drop in chicken prices, followed by garlic (down 5.69%), pulse mash (1.14%), pulse masoor (0.43%), pulse gram (0.21%), and marginal cuts in cooking oil, vegetable ghee, wheat flour, and LPG.
Meanwhile, notable increases were observed in tomato prices, which jumped 19.73%, followed by potatoes (9.11%), onions (3.23%), bananas (2.25%), powdered milk (0.73%), eggs (0.67%), and sugar (0.18%). Minor upticks were also recorded for items such as curd, basmati broken rice, and pulse moong.
On an annual basis, inflationary pressure continued to ease for key staples. Prices of onions declined by 61.86%, electricity charges for the first quarter were down 41.63%, garlic fell 30.99%, and tomatoes dropped 22.87%. Wheat flour, potatoes, chicken, and diesel also saw significant declines.
However, prices of several consumer goods continued to rise over the year. Ladies’ sandals were up 55.62%, eggs increased by 31.41%, and powdered milk, sugar, bananas, beef, and both variants of vegetable ghee recorded double-digit increases.
Inflation trends varied across income groups. For the lowest income bracket, SPI increased by 0.15% during the week, while the highest income group saw a 0.18% decline. On a yearly basis, the lowest income group experienced a 1.59% decline in SPI, compared to a 0.36% drop for the highest group. Across all income quintiles, annual SPI change ranged between a decrease of 2.78% and 0.36%.
Among construction inputs, the average price of Sona urea stood at Rs4,455 per 50 kg bag, down 0.11% week-on-week and 6.02% lower than last year. Average cement prices fell slightly to Rs1,410 per 50 kg bag, a 0.08% weekly decline but still 11.95% higher year-on-year.
The SPI, compiled weekly by PBS, monitors prices of essential goods in 50 markets across 17 cities to track short-term consumer price trends.
