Weekly inflation falls 0.14 percent

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended on May 3, for the lowest income group up to Rs 8,000 registered a decrease of 0.14 per cent as compared to the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 174.17 points against 174.41 points registered in the previous week, according to provisional figures of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (FBS).

The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007-2008=100, covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.

The SPI for the combined group reduced by 0.12 per cent as it went down from 183.53 points in the previous week to 183.31 points in the week under review.

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed increase of 9.30 percent. As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs.8001-12,000, 12,001-18,000, 18001-35,000 and above Rs.35,000 decreased by 0.14, 0.14, 0.13 and 0.10 per cent respectively.

During the week under review average prices of 10 items registered decrease, while that of 17 items increase with the remaining 26 items' prices unchanged.

The items which recorded decrease in their average prices during the week under review included tomatoes, chicken live (farm), LPG( 11 kg cylinder),onions, rice (irri-6/9), wheat, sugar, wheat flour (bag), mustard oil and vegetable ghee (loose).

The items which registered increase in their prices included gram pulse (washed), egg hen (farm), bananas, potatoes, salt powdered (loose), rice basmati (broken), gur, cooked dal, red chillies (powder), garlic, georgette (voile printed), mash pulse (washed), masoor pulse (washed), moong pulse (washed), cooked beef, energy savor and mutton.

The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included bread (plain), beef, milk (fresh), curd, milk (powdered), cooking oil (tin), vegetable ghee (tin), tea (packet), tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloth (coarse latha), shirting, lawn, sandal (gents), chappal (gents), sandal (ladies), electric charges, gas charges (up to 100m3), kerosene, firewood, washing soap, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone local call and bath soap. (APP)