The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 182.05 points against 182.48 points registered in the previous week, according to provisional figures of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (FBS).

The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007-2008=100, covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.

The SPI for the combined group also decreased by 0.42 per cent as it went down from 188.14 points in the previous week to 187.35 points in the week under review.

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed increase of 7.26 percent.

As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs.8001-12,000, 12,001-18,000, 18001-35,000 and above Rs.35,000 decreased by 0.28 percent, 0.33 percent, 0.41 and 0.54 percent respectively.

During the week under review average prices of 14 items registered decrease, while that of 14 items increase with the remaining 25 items' prices unchanged.

The items which recorded decrease in their average prices during the week under review included tomatoes, chicken live (farm), bananas, petrol, moong pulse (washed), potatoes, red chillies powder (loose), sugar, masoor pulse (washed), vegetable ghee (loose), mash pulse (washed), gur, wheat and gram pulse (washed).

The items which registered increase in their prices included egg (farm), onions, diesel, L.P.G. (11 kg cylinder), salt powdered, kerosene oil, shirting, vegetable ghee (tin), rice basmati (broken), beef, mustard oil, garlic, wheat flour (bag) and firewood.

The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included rice IRRI-6, bread plain, mutton, milk fresh, curd, milk powdered, cooking oil, tea, cooked beef (plate), cooked dal, tea prepared, cigarette, long cloth, lawn, georgette, sandal gents, chappal (gents), sandal (ladies), electric charges, washing soap, match box, telephone call and bath soap.