Weekly inflation goes up 2.41 per cent

Islamabad: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation for the week ended on February 25, for the combined consumption group, witnessed increase of 2.41 per cent as compared to the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 147.09 points against 143.63 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 13.89 percent.

The weekly SPI with base year 2015-16 is covering 17 urban centers and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.

The Sensitive Price Indicator for the lowest consumption group up to Rs17,732 witnessed 6.65 per cent increase and went up from 148.48 points in last week to 158.36 points during the week under review.

Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,732-22,888; Rs22,889-29,517; Rs29,518-44,175; and above Rs44,175 per month increased by 3.57 per cent, 1.95 per cent, 1.29 per cent and 1.47 percent, respectively.

During the week, prices of five items decreased, 25 items increased while that of 21 items remained constant.

The items, which recorded decrease in their average prices, included tomatoes, onions, LPG cylinder, ‘Gur’ (jaggery) and firewood.

The commodities, which recorded increase in their average prices, included electricity charges, bananas, long cloth, gram pulse, chicken, potatoes, mustard oil, vegetable ghee (tin), tea (prepared), eggs, vegetable ghee (loose), toilet soap, rice (Basmati broken), rice (Irri-6/9), washing soap, wheat flour, garlic, ‘moong’ pulse, shirting, mutton, sugar, ‘masoor’ pulse, milk (powdered), mash pulse and beef.

Similarly, the prices of the commodities that observed no change during the week under review included bread, milk (fresh), curd, cooking oil (tin), salt, chilies, tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked ‘daal’, cigarettes, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, ladies sandal, gas charges, energy saver, match box, petrol, diesel and telephone call.