Weekly inflation up

ISLAMABAD: Weekly inflation based on the sensitive price indicator (SPI) for the combined income group witnessed an increase of 0.36 percent for the week ended on April 12 as compared to the previous week.

SPI was recorded at 223.32 points as against 222.51 points, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) data showed on Friday. SPI for the combined group in the week under review rose 0.29 percent as compared to the corresponding week last year. SPI has been computed with the base year of 2007/08, covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups.

Meanwhile, SPI for the lowest income group up to Rs 8,000 also increased 0.22 percent as it went up to 210.49 points in the week under review from 210.02 points in the previous week. SPI for the income group from Rs8,001 to 12,000, Rs12,001 to 18,000, and Rs18,001 to 35,000 and above 35,000 increased 0.28 percent, 0.33 percent, 0.37 percent and 0.43 percent, respectively.

Average prices of 10 items registered decrease during the week under review, while priced of 21 items increased with the prices of remaining 22 items remaining unchanged.

The items, which registered decrease in their prices during the week under review, included tomatoes, garlic, bananas, wheat, potatoes, masoor pulse, eggs, onions, wheat flour and moong pulse.

The items, which registered increase in prices, included ladies sandal, gents chappal, chicken, salt, tea (prepared), sugar, gur, cooked beef, chilly, gram pulse, lawn, LPG cylinder, cigarettes, rice (irri-6), vegetable ghee (tin), cooking oil (tin), vegetable ghee (loose), mutton, mash pulse, mustard oil and beef.

The items with no change in their average prices included rice (basmati broken), bead, milk (fresh), curd, milk (powdered), tea (packet), cooked daal, long cloth, shirting, georgette, gents sandal, electricity charges, gas tariffs, kerosene oil, firewood, electric bulb, washing soap, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone local calls and bath soap.