Weekly inflation posts nominal rise of 0.11pc

ISLAMABAD: Inflation for the week ended November 17 for the combined income group witnessed a nominal increase of 0.11 percent as compared to the previous week.

The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week in the abovementioned group was recorded at 220.70 points against 220.45 points registered in the previous week, according to the data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday.

SPI for the combined group during the week under review increased 0.51 percent as compared to the corresponding week of the last year.

The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007-2008=100, covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.  Meanwhile, SPI for the lowest income group up to Rs8,000 increased 0.11 percent, as it went up from 212.24 points in the previous week to 212.47 points in the week under review.

SPI for the income groups from Rs8,001 to Rs12,000; Rs12,001 to Rs18,000; Rs18,001 to Rs35,000 and above Rs35,000 also increased 0.10 percent, 0.11 percent, 0.11 percent and 0.12 percent, respectively.

Average prices of 11 items registered decline, while 10 items increased with the remaining 32 items prices remained unchanged.

The items, which registered decrease in their prices during the week under review included chicken (farm), gur, pulse mash (washed), potatoes, bananas, onions, red chilly powder, pulse moong, garlic and,pulse masoor (washed).  The items, which recorded increase in their average prices included eggs, LPG cylinder (11kg), sugar, cigarettes, wheat, firewood, wheat flour, and Irri-6.

The items with no change in their average prices included basmati (broken), bread, beef, mutton, milk (fresh), curd, milk (powdered), mustard oil, cooking oil, vegetable ghee, salt, powder tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked daal, tea (prepared), long cloth, shirting, lawn, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, electricity and gas charges, kerosene, electric bulb, washing soap, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone local call and bath soap.