Weekly inflation up by 0.39pc

ISLAMABAD: Weekly inflation for the week ended on April 18, for the combined income group, witnessed an increase of 0.39 percent as compared to the previous week.

The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week under review in the combined group was recorded at 251.15 points against 250.17 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

Meanwhile, the inflation for the lowest income group also increased from 229.38 points in last week to 230.24 points, showing growth of 0.37.

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 12.42 percent, and for the lowest income group, it increased by 9.41 percent.

The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007-08=100, covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.

Meanwhile, the SPI for the income groups from Rs 8001-12,000, Rs 12,001-18,000, 18,001-35,000 and above Rs 35000 per month increased by 0.38 percent, 0.39 percent, 0.40 percent , and 0.38 percent respectively.

During the week under review, average prices of 6 items registered decrease, while that of 25 items increased with the remaining 22 items’ prices unchanged.

The items which registered decrease in their prices during the week under review included tomatoes, potatoes, wheat, LPG Cylinder, Wheat flour and mustard oil.

The items which recorded increase in their average prices included onions, chicken, garlic, cooke beef, eggs, mash pulse, gur, cooking oil, red chilly, vegetable ghee, bananas, rice (basmati broken), mutton, moong pulse, sugar, beef, masoor pulse, shirting, vegetable ghee (loose) milk (powdered) rice (irri-6), gram pulse, bread, tea (packet)) and milk (fresh).

Similarly the items which recorded no change in their prices included curd, salt, tea (prepared), cooked daal, cigarettes, long cloth, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents chappal, laies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, kerosene oil, firewood, electric bulb, washing soap, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone local call and bath soap.