Weekly inflation down 0.04 percent

KARACHI: Inflation for the week ended May 5 for the combined income groups decreased 0.04 percent as compared to the previous week, according to the data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday.

The sensitive price indicator (SPI) for the week under review in the abovementioned group was recorded at 220.01 points against 220.10 points last week. SPI for the combined group witnessed an increase of 2.66 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 also decreased 0.02 percent, as it went down from 209.15 points during the previous week to 209.11 points during 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 decreased 0.03 percent, 0.04 percent, 0.05 percent and 0.05 percent, respectively. Average prices of 10 items registered increase, 11 items prices decreased, while prices of the remaining 32 items remained unchanged.