SPI-based inflation surges 0.28pc WoW

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Index (SPI) based inflation has recorded an increase of 0.28 percent on Week on Week (WoW) basis, according to data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday.

For the week ended August 6, 2026, the inflationary pressure may be attributed to hike in the prices of onions by 10.14 percent, chicken by 9.19 percent, pulse gram by 2.43 percent, and chili powder by 1.01 percent.

According to SPI data, during the week under review, out of 51 items, prices of 20 items, which constitute 39.22 percent of the SPI basket, increased; prices of 9 items, which is 17.65 percent of the basket, recorded a reduction and prices of 22 items, which is 43.13 percent of the basket, remained stable.

READ MORE: Weekly SPI-based inflation dips 0.91pc

The PBS data said that prices of other items that registered an increase include mustard oil, 0.99 percent, Lipton tea, 0.57 percent, wheat flour, 0.52 percent, vegetable ghee 1kg, 0.37 percent, firewood, 0.32 percent, and washing soap, 0.08 percent.

On the other hand, a decrease was observed in the prices of tomatoes, 6.82 percent; Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), 1.90 percent; diesel, 1.66 percent; bananas, 1.20 percent; petrol, 0.63 percent; sugar, 0.51 percent; bread plain, 0.29 percent; and eggs and potatoes, 0.09 percent each.

On Year on Year (YoY), the SPI recorded an increase of 9.29 percent, driven by sharp rises in the prices of tomatoes, 178.03 percent, onions, 84.65 percent, wheat flour, 80.02 percent, LPG, 53.83 percent, diesel, 34.44 percent, petrol, 25.97 percent, gents sponge chappal, 16.69 percent, chili powder, 16.37 percent, mutton, 16.12 percent, bananas, 15.11 percent, beef, 13.81 percent and bread plain, 9.37 percent.

On a YoY basis, a decrease was observed in the prices of potatoes, 30.65 percent, pulse gram, 17.86 percent, sugar, 17.60 percent, chicken, 15.65 percent, salt powder, 14.09 percent, pulse masoor, 13.02 percent, eggs, 9.66 percent, and pulse moong, 6.25 percent.

Breaking down SPI by income groups, households with a monthly income of up to Rs17,732 saw an increase of 0.43 percent, with SPI going up from 345.63 to 347.11 points. For the Rs17,733-22,888 income group, SPI went up by 0.41 percent, increasing from 346.77 to 348.19 points.

Households earning Rs22,889-29,517 saw a 0.36 percent increase, going up from 368.32 to 369.65 points, while the Rs29,518-44,175 bracket SPI went up by 0.34 percent from 355.77 to 356.99 points. The highest income group, Rs44,175 and above, recorded a 0.20 percent increase, taking the SPI up from 356.44 to 357.16 points.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026