Weekly SPI inflation increases 0.19 percent

ISLAMABAD: Inflation for the week ended March 14 for the combined income group witnessed an increase of 0.19 percent as compared to the previous week, according to the latest data of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Saturday.

The sensitive price indicator (SPI) for the week under review in the abovementioned group was recorded at 248.77 points against 248.29 points registered in the previous week, it added.

SPI for the combined group during the week under review increased 12.23 percent.

The weekly sensitive price indicator has been computed with base 2007-08=100, covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.

Meanwhile, sensitive price indicator for the lowest income group up to Rs8,000 also increased 0.38 percent, as it went up to 228.53 points in the week under review from 227.67 points in the previous week.

SPI for the income groups from Rs8,001-Rs12,000, Rs12,001-Rs18,000, Rs18,001, Rs35,000 and above Rs35,000 also increased 0.31 percent, 0.26 percent, 0.19 percent and 0.10 percent, respectively.

Average prices of 23 items registered increase, 11 items prices decreased, while prices of the remaining 19 items remained unchanged.

The items, which recorded increase in their average prices during the period under review included onions, moong pulse, washing soap, gur, lawn, bananas, long cloth, sugar, georgette, cooked daal, basmati (broken), beef, milk (fresh), Irri-6, curd, garlic, cooked beef, tea (prepared), mustard oil, mutton, wheat flour, red chilly and milk (powdered).

The items, which registered decrease in their prices included eggs, chicken, tomatoes, LPG cylinder, potatoes, masoor pulse, mash pulse, gram pulse, wheat, vegetable ghee (loose) and firewood.

The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included bread, cooking oil (tin), vegetable ghee (tin), salt, tea (packet), cigarettes, shirting, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, electricity and gas charges, kerosene, electric bulb, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone local call and bath soap.