Prices of kitchen items ease as SPI falls 0.57pc

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation for the week ended on March 11, for the combined consumption group, witnessed decrease of 0.57 percent as compared to the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 147.14 points against 147.99 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 13.48 percent.

The weekly SPI with base year 2015-16=100 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 0.95 percent decrease and went down from 159.21 points in last week to 157.69 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 Rs 44,175 per month decreased by 1.54 percent, 0.41 percent, 0.02 percent and 0.15 percent respectively.

During the week, prices of 07 items decreased, 26 items increased while that of 18 items remained constant.

The items, which recorded decrease in their average prices, included electricity charges, garlic, chicken, LPG Cylinder, onions, gur and masoor pulse.

The commodities, which recorded increase in their average prices, included eggs, tomatoes, bananas, lawn, potatoes, sugar, milk (fresh), shirting, long cloth, georgette, curd, wheat, mash pulse, cooked daal, rice (Basmati broken), cooked beef, gram pulse, tea (prepared), rice (Irri 6/9), cigarettes, vegetable ghee (tin), milk (powdered), beef, moong pulse, mutton and mustard oil.

Similarly, the prices of the commodities that observed no change during the week under review included bread, cooking oil (loose), vegetable ghee (loose), salt, chillies, tea (packet), gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, gas charges, firewood, energy saver, washing soap, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone call charges and toilet soap.