Weekly inflation inches down

ISLAMABAD: Weekly inflation for the combined income groups inched down 0.23 percent for the week ended August 17 as compared to the previous week, official data revealed on
Friday.

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) data showed that the sensitive price indicator (SPI) was recorded at 219.42 points for the above mentioned group for the week under review against 219.92 points last week.

SPI is computed with the base year of 2007/08, covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all the income groups.

PBS data showed that SPI inflation decreased 0.18 percent for the lowest income group earning up to Rs8,000/month as it fell to 209.48 points in the week under review from 209.86 points a week ago.

Further, SPI inflation for groups earning income between Rs8001 and 12,000, Rs12,001 and 18,000, Rs18,001 and 35,000 and above Rs35,000 declined 0.20, 0.22, 0.23 and 0.24 percent, respectively.

Prices of 14 items registered decrease, while prices of eight items increased and prices of 31 items remained unchanged during the current week.

The items, which registered fall in their prices, included chicken (farm), tomatoes, sugar, bananas, garlic, gram pulse, masoor pulse, eggs, gur, mash pulse, red chilly, moong pulse, wheat and wheat flour.

The products, which recorded rise in their prices, included onions, potatoes, rice (basmati broken), liquefied petroleum gas cylinder, curd, georgette, beef and vegetable ghee.

The items, with no change in their average prices during the week under review, included rice (irri-6), bread, mutton, milk (fresh), milk (powdered), mustard oil, cooking oil, vegetable ghee, salt (powdered), tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked daal, tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, electricity and gas tariffs, kerosene oil, firewood, electric bulb, washing soap, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone local call and bath soap.