Kitchen items’ prices further dip 0.19pc

ISLAMABAD: Continuing with declining trend for the second consecutive week, the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation for the week ended on March 18, for the combined consumption group, witnessed decrease of 0.19 percent as compared to the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 146.86 points against 147.14 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 13.21 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 0.05 percent decrease and went down from 157.69 points in last week to 157.61 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 0.11 percent, 0.15 percent, 0.20 percent and 0.22 percent respectively.

During the week, prices of 09 items decreased, 22 items increased while that of 20 items remained constant.

The items, which recorded decrease in their average prices, included chicken, garlic, onions, LPG Cylinder, gram pulse, masoor pulse, moong pulse, rice (Basmati broken) and milk (fresh).

The commodities, which recorded increase in their average prices, included tomatoes, shirting, bananas, chillies, lawn, eggs, potatoes, beef, mash pulse, vegetable ghee (loose) washing soap, georgette, mutton, firewood, cooking oil (loose), powdered milk, vegetable ghee (tin), gur, curd, mustard oil, sugar and wheat flour.

Similarly, the prices of the commodities that observed no change during the week under review included rice Irri 6/9, bread, salt ,tea (prepared), cooked beef, tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloth, gents sandal, gents sponge, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, energy saver, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone call and toilet soap.