Combined income groups: SPI-based weekly inflation dips

Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based weekly inflation for the combined income groups during the week ended on January 23 has dipped by 0.40 percent against week ended on January 16, 2020; however, SPI on annual basis climbed up by 19.69 percent, said SPI data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistic.

The SPI on week-on-week (WoW) basis for the week under review for combined income group was recorded at 131.55 points against 132.08 points of the preceding week, PBS revealed. The PBS further revealed that on year-on-year basis SPI for the combined income group went up by 19.69 percent from 109.91 points to 131.55 points.

The weekly SPI data with base year 2015-16 covers 17 urban centers and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.

The SPI for the lowest income group with monthly income up to Rs 17,732 witnessed a decline of 0.55 percent from 135.25 points to 134.48 points on WoW basis and on YoY basis it went up by 18.10 percent from 113.87 points to 134.48 points, the PBS added.

For the income group of Rs 17,732-22,888, weekly inflation registered a reduction of 0.54 percent from 131.06 points to 130.35 points and on annual basis it witnessed an increase of 19.13 percent from 109.42 points to 130.35 points.

For the monthly income group of Rs 22,889-29,517, SPI dipped by 0.45 percent from 132.91 points to 132.31 points and on annual basis it went up by 22.05 percent from 108.41 points to 132.31 points. Weekly inflation for the income group with monthly income of Rs 29,518-44,175 went down by 0.42 percent from 130.06 points to 129.51 points and on annual basis SPI for the above income group went up by 21.42 percent from 106.66 points to 129.51 points.

For the income group of Rs 44,175 or above monthly income, weekly inflation went down by 0.34 percent from 134.05 points to 133.59 points and on annual basis SPI for the above income group went up by 18.88 percent from 112.37 points to 133.59 points.

During the week under review, average prices of 9 items registered decrease, 15 items' prices witnessed an increase and prices of 27 items remained unchanged.

During the week under review, prices of the following commodities witnessed a decline: tomatoes, onions, eggs, LPG cylinder (11.67kg), potatoes, wheat flour bag, garlic, broken Basmati rice and banana.

During the week under review, prices of the following commodities witnessed an increase: refined sugar, farm chicken, mustard oil, powder milk, vegetable ghee, cooked daal plate, firewood, pulse Masoor, pulse Moong, pulse Mash, prepared tea, normal beef, pulse gram and Gur.

During the week under review, prices of the following commodities witnessed no change: plain bread, milk fresh, curd, salt powder, chillies powder, Lipton Yellow Label tea, gent sandals, gent sponge, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, energy savers, match box, petrol super, high speed diesel and telephone calls.