Weekly inflation drops 0.32pc

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based weekly inflation for the week ended March 5 decreased by 0.32pc as compared to the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the combined income group was recorded at 128.74 points as against 129.15 points registered in the previous week, according to latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The weekly SPI was 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, witnessed 0.28pc increase, as it went up from 132.23 points in the last week to 132.60 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 11.59pc, while for the lowest group, it increased by 10.78pc.

Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,733 to Rs22,888, and from Rs22,889 to Rs29,517 increased by 0.16pc, and 0.02pc, whereas from Rs29,518 to Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175 per month, it reduced by 0.11pc and 0.6pc, respectively.

During the week under review, average prices of 18 item registered a decrease, while that of 12 items prices increased with the prices of 21 items remaining unchanged.

The prices of the commodities that recorded an increase in their prices during the week under review included potatoes, onions, eggs (farm), sugar, long cloth, bananas, lawn printed, rice (irri-6), georgette, shirting, mutton, toilet soap, washing soap, gur, curd, vegetable ghee, cooked daal and beef (with bone).

Similarly, the prices of commodities that witnessed a decline included tomatoes, LPG, petrol, hi-speed diesel, garlic, pulses (gram, masoor, mash, moong), wheat flour, chicken (farm) and mustard oil.

Commodities with no price change included rice (basmati), bread, fresh milk, powdered milk, cooking oil, vegetable ghee (pouch), salt, chillies, tea, cooked beef, tea (prepared cup), cigarettes, gents sandal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, firewood, energy saver, matchbox and telephone call.