SBP's Inflation Monitor: Khuzdar becomes cheapest city of country

Khuzdar (Balochistan) posted negative Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation during November 2015 and became most lowly inflated city of the country. While, Jhang, Sargodha and Nawabshah are most expensive cities of the country as highest CPI inflation was observed in these three metropolises during the period under review.
The State Bank of Pakistan's (SBP) Inflation Monitor revealed that among 40 leading cities of the country, Khuzdar is the cheapest city of the country, where CPI inflation stood negative 2.5 percent (-4.4 percent food and -1.1 percent non-food) during November 2015.
Jhang, Sargodha and Nawabshah observed highest 5.6 percent CPI inflation Year on Year (YoY) basis for November 2015. In Jhang, Food inflation (8.4 percent) was higher than non-food inflation (3.8 percent). The detailed analysis revealed that CPI Inflation on year-on-year basis in federal and provincial capitals of Pakistan showed a mixed trend during November 2015. Among federal and provincial capitals of Pakistan, the lowest inflation was observed in Lahore at 0.4 percent while the highest inflation was observed in Karachi at 4.9 percent. Among these five cities, Islamabad witnessed 3.1 percent CPI inflation, Peshawar 4.2 percent and Quetta 2.0 percent in November 2015.
Out of 40 leading cities, Gwadar ranked second cheapest city as it also observed CPI inflation negative 2.1 percent with -4.6 percent food and -0.4 percent non-food CPI inflation. According to SBP's Inflation Monitor, headline CPI inflation has been recorded at 2.7 percent on year-on-year basis in November 2015 compared to 1.6 percent in the previous month and 4.0 percent in the corresponding month of last year.
CPI inflation on month-on-month basis has been recorded at 0.6 percent in November 2015 compared to 0.5 percent in the previous month and -0.5 percent during the corresponding month of last year. Seasonally adjusted month-on-month CPI inflation has been recorded at 0.85 percent in November 2015 compared to 0.29 percent in the previous month.