ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended December 23, 2021 recorded an increase of 0.40 percent due to increase in the prices of tomatoes (7.28 percent), eggs (2.95 percent), masoor (1.72 percent), sugar (1.46 percent), gents sponge chappal Bata pair (20.08 percent), ladies sandal Bata pair (16.69 percent), and LPG (5.03 percent), says the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The year-on-year trend depicts increase of 19.83 percent mainly due to increase in electricity prices for q1 (83.95 percent), LPG (71.18 percent), cooking oil 5 litre (59.93 percent), vegetable ghee 1kg (56.77 percent), vegetable ghee 2.5kg (54.70 percent), mustard oil (53.75 percent), gents sponge chappal (50.25 percent), gents sandal (44.49 percent), washing soap (44.39 percent), petrol (35.42), masoor (34.35 percent), chilies powdered (26.75 percent), and diesel (26.72 percent), while major decrease was observed in the prices of onions (25.15 percent), moong (24.56 percent), tomatoes (16.48 percent), eggs (10.03 percent), chicken (9.74 percent), and potatoes (7.98 percent).

According to the latest data, the SPI went up from 168.16 percent during the week ended December 16, 2021 to 168.83 percent during the week under review.

The SPI for the consumption groups up to Rs17,733, Rs17,733 to Rs22,888, Rs22,889 to Rs29,517, Rs29,518 to Rs44,175 and for above Rs44,175 increased by 0.28 percent, 0.29 percent, 0.31 percent, 0.33 percent and 0.46 percent, respectively.

During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 23 (45.09 percent) items increased, five (9.80 percent) items decreased, and 23 (45.09 percent) items remained stable, said the PBS in weekly SPI data.

The commodities, which recorded increase in their average prices include gents sponge chappal Bata pair (20.08 percent), ladies sandal Bata pair (16.69 percent), gents sandal Bata pair (8.34 percent), tomatoes (7.28 percent), LPG (5.03 percent), eggs (2.95 percent), masoor (1.72 percent), sugar refined (1.46 percent), Georgette (one percent), salt powdered (0.92 percent), mutton (0.54 percent), firewood whole 40kg (0.44 percent), chicken (0.35 percent), beef with bone (0.35 percent), pulse gram (0.32 percent), garlic (0.21 percent), bananas (0.21 percent), maash (0.13 percent), cooked beef (0.07 percent), moong (0.07 percent), cooked daal (0.05 percent), curd (0.02 percent), and milk fresh (0.01 percent).

The commodities, which recorded a decrease in their prices during the period under review include potatoes (5.26 percent), chillies powder (4.16 percent), onions (2.80 percent), gur (0.76 percent), and wheat flour bag 20kg (0.12 percent).

The commodities, whose prices remained unchanged during the period included rice basmati broken, rice irri-6/9 (Sindh/Punjab), bread plain (small size), powdered milk, mustard oil, cooking oil Daldaor other similar brand (sn), 5 litre tin each, vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib 2.5kg tin each, vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib or other superior quality 1kg pouch, tea Lipton Yellow Label, tea prepared, cigarettes capstan 20’s packet each, long cloth 57” Gul Ahmed/Al Karam, shirting, lawn printed Gul Ahmed/Al Karam, electricity charges, gas charges, energy saver, Sufi washing soap, match box, petrol super, hi-speed diesel, telephone call charges, and toilet soap.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021