Weekly SPI inflation goes up 0.52pc

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s weekly sensitive price index (SPI) went up 0.52 percent for the week ended January 28, mainly on account of the increase in prices of some food items, including chicken, chilli powder, cooking oil, and ghee, official data showed.

SPI increased 7.48 percent as compared to weekly inflation in the corresponding period a year earlier, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.

For the combined consumption group, SPI recorded at 140.88 points against 140.15 points registered in the previous week.

The weekly SPI with base year 2015-16=100 covers 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.

All consumption groups witnessed an increase in SPI. For the group that consumes up to Rs17,732, SPI was up 0.43 percent from 145.15 points in last week to 145.78 points during the week under review.

Inflation for the second quintile went up 0.51 percent from 140.40 points to 141.11 points in the week ended January 28, 2021.

The group spending Rs22,889-29,517 saw an increase of 0.53 percent. SPI went up 0.56 percent for the consumption group spending Rs29,518-44,175, whereas the quintile that spent more than Rs44,175 witnessed a rise of 0.52 percent.

During the week, prices of 18 items increased, nine decreased, while prices of 24 items remained unchanged.

Items that registered increase included chicken, chilli powder, cooking oil and ghee, soaps, mustard oil, garlic, pulses masoor, mash and gram, broken Basmati rice, firewood, energy savers, and mutton.

Commodities such as tomato, egg, potato, onion, LPG cylinder, pulse moong, banana, and wheat flower recorded declines in their prices.

No change was observed in the prices of rice (Irri 6/9), bread, beef, fresh and powdered milk, curd, salt, tea, cigarettes, long cloths, shirting, lawn, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, match box, petrol, diesel and telephone call.