Weekly inflation drops 0.4pc

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based weekly inflation (as on January 23) for the combined consumption group decreased by 0.40pc as compared to the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 131.55 points as against 132.08 points registered in the previous week, according to latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The weekly SPI was 100 collected with base 2015-16, covering 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.

The SPI for the lowest consumption group up to Rs17,732 also witnessed 0.55pc reduction, as it went down from 135.23 points in last week to 134.48 points during the week under review.

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 19.69pc, while that for the lowest group, it increased by 18.10pc.

Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,733to Rs22,888, from Rs22,889 to Rs29,517, Rs29,518 to Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175 per month also decreased by 0.54pc, 0.45, 0.42pc and 0.34pc, respectively.

During the week under review, average prices of nine items registered a decrease, while that of 15 items prices increased with the prices of 27 items remaining unchanged.

The prices of commodities that recorded a decrease in their prices during the week under review included tomatoes, onions, eggs, LPG cylinder (11.67kg), potatoes, wheat flour, garlic, rice basmati and bananas.

The items that recorded an increase in their average prices included sugar, washing soap, chicken farm (live), mustard oil, poser milk, vegetable ghee, cooked daal, pulse masoor (washed), firewood, pulse moong (washed), tea prepared (cup), beef, pulse gram and gur.

The commodities that observed no change in their prices during the week under review included rice irri-6, bread (plain), mutton, milk fresh, curd, cooking oil, vegetable ghee, salt powder, chilly powder, tea, cooked beef, cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn printed, georgette, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, energy saver, matchbox, petrol (super), hi-speed diesel, telephone call and toilet soap.

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