Weekly inflation declines 0.27pc

ISLAMABAD: Inflation for the week ended September 14 for the combined income groups decreased 0.27 percent as compared to the previous week, according to the data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday.

Sensitive price indicator (SPI) for the week under review in the abovementioned group was recorded at 222.11 points against 222.71 points last week. SPI for the combined group witnessed an increase of 1.1 percent.

The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007-2008=100, covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups. Meanwhile, SPI for the lowest income group up to Rs8,000 decreased 0.22 percent, as it went down to 213.01 points during the week under review from 213.48 points during the previous week.

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 0.23 percent, 0.25 percent, 0.28 percent and 0.30 percent, respectively. Average prices of 14 items registered increase, 10 decreased, while the remaining 29 items' prices remained unchanged.

The items, which registered increase in their prices during the week under review included tomatoes, LPG (cylinder), salt (powder), wheat flour, sugar, gram pulse, wheat, masoor pulse, mash pulse, gur, electric bulb, vegetable ghee, mustard oil and rice (Irri-6).

The items, which registered decrease in their prices included onions, bananas, chicken (farm), garlic, eggs, potatoes, vegetable ghee, moong (pulse), cooking oil (tin) and red chilly.

The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included rice (basmati broken), bread, beef, mutton, milk (fresh), curd, milk (powdered), tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked daal, tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, electricity and gas charges, kerosene, firewood, washing soap, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone local call and bath soap. —