SPI inflation down 0.14pc

ISLAMABAD: Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based inflation for the week ended February 20, for the combined consumption group, decreased 0.14 percent as compared to the previous week, latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) revealed on Saturday.

SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 130.67 points against 130.85 points registered in the previous week, it added.

The weekly SPI was 100 collected with base 2015/16, covering 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.

SPI for the lowest consumption group up to Rs17,732 also witnessed 0.03 percent reduction, as it went down to 134.03 points during the week under review from 134.07 points last week.

SPI for the combined consumption group witnessed an increase of 15.97 percent, while, for the lowest income group, it increased 14.39 percent. Meanwhile, SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,733 to Rs22,888, Rs22,889 to Rs29,517, Rs29,518 to Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175/month also decreased 0.08 percent, 0.11 percent, 0.14 percent and 0.16 percent, respectively. Average prices of nine items registered increase, 13 items’ prices decreased, while prices of the remaining 29 items remained unchanged.

The items, which recorded rise in their average prices during the week under review included onions, bananas, rice basmati, mutton, beef, curd, rice Irri-6, vegetable ghee and mustard oil.

Prices of the commodities that recorded decrease in their prices included tomatoes, eggs hen (farm), chicken live farm, potatoes, gur, garlic, pulse gram, wheat flour bag, pulse masoor, LPG cylinder (11.67kg), sugar, pulse mash and pulse moong.

The commodities that observed no change in their prices included bread, milk fresh, powder milk, cooking oil, vegetable ghee, salt powder, chillies powder, tea, cooked beef, cooked daal, tea prepared, cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents sponge, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, fire wood, energy charges, washing soap, match box, hi-speed diesel, telephone calls and toilet soap.