The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 300.20 points as against 299.98 points registered in the previous week.

According to the provisional figures released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS), the weekly SPI has been computed with base 2000 2001=100 covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.

The SPI for the combined group registered an increase of 0.13 percent as it went up from 288.08 points in the previous week to 288.46 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 15.60 percent.

As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs.3001-5000, Rs.5001-12000 and above Rs.12,000, increased by 0.07 percent, 0.11 percent and 0.17 percent respectively.

During the week under review average prices of 12 items registered decrease, while that of 22 items increase with the remaining 19 items'prices unchanged.

The items which recorded decrease in their average prices during the week under review included tomato, onion, garlic, egg (farm), white sugar, wheat flour (average quality), masoor pulse (washed), voil printed, moong pulse (washed), mustard oil and mash pulse (washed).

The items which showed increase in their average prices included milk powder, bananas, curd, milk fresh, chicken (farm), sugar, washing soap, gur, LPG, cylinder (11kg), tea cup (prepared), cooked beef (plate), rice irri-6, red chilies, lawn, cooked dal (plate), bread plain (mid size), shirting, kerosine, vegetable ghee (loose) and mutton.

The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included rice basmati (broken), beef, cooking oil (tin), salt powder, tea packet, cigrate (k-2), sandal gents, sandal ladies, chappal spang, fire wood, electric bulb (60 wt), match box, bath soap, electric charges, diesel, telephone local call.