ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based weekly inflation for the combined consumption group witnessed a decline of 0.44pc during the week ending April 9, as compared to the previous week.
According to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 124.97 points, as against 125.52 points in the previous week.
However, as compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption group during the week under review witnessed an increase of 8.20pc.
The weekly SPI is computed with base year 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 a 0.67pc decrease, from 131.03 points last week to 130.15 points during the week under review.
Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,733-Rs22,888, Rs22,889-Rs29,517, Rs29,518-Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175 per month also decreased by 0.59pc, 0.51pc, 0.45pc and 0.38pc, respectively.
During the outgoing week, the prices of 14 items decreased, 26 items increased while that of 27 items remained unchanged.
The items that recorded a decrease in their average prices included onions, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, wheat flour, sugar, vegetable ghee, eggs and cooking oil.
On the other hand, commodities which recorded an increase in their prices included pulses (moong, masoor, mash, gram), bananas, beef, gur, mutton, washing soap, chicken, rice (irri 6/9), mustard oil and milk (fresh and powdered).
Similarly, the prices of the commodities that observed no change during the week included rice (basmati broken), bread, curd, salt, chillies, tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked daal, tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents sponge chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, firewood, energy saver, matchbox, petrol, diesel, telephone call and toilet soap.
According to PBS analysis, the decrease in weekly inflatin was mainly due to a decline in the prices of food items, including onions (18.15pc), garlic (12.02pc), tomatoes (7.34pc), potatoes (5.65pc), wheat flour (2.57pc), sugar (0.91pc), vegetable ghee (0.52pc), eggs (0.47pc) and cooking oil 5kg (0.37pc).
