ISLAMABAD: The weekly review of the sensitive price index (SPI) on Friday highlighted a record increase in inflation up to 42.31 percent on a year-on-year basis in August, the data shared by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said.
The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended August 18, 2022, recorded an increase of 3.35 percent due to an increase in food items prices including tomatoes (20.28 percent), chicken (7.57 percent), onions (2.30 percent), powdered milk (2.03 percent), eggs (1.63 percent) and non-food items including electricity for q1 (6.83 percent), petrol (2.96 percent) and cigarette (1.69 percent), says the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The year-on-year trend depicts an increase of 42.31 percent mainly due to an increase in masoor (111.02 percent), diesel (108.77 percent), petrol (94.53 percent), onions (94.43 percent), cooking oil 5 litre (72.96 percent), mustard oil (71.08 percent), chicken (69.04 percent), vegetable ghee 1 kg (68.56 percent), vegetable ghee 2.5 kg (67.05 percent), electricity for q1 (63.03 percent), washing soap (61.92 percent), pulse gram (58.93 percent), gents sponge chappal (52.21 percent), pulse mash (51.51 percent) and garlic (36.59 percent) while a decrease observed in the prices of chilies powder (43.42 percent), sugar (16.55 percent) and gur (1.96 percent).
According to the latest data, the SPI went up from 209.01 percent during the week ended August 11, 2022 to 216.02 percent during the week under review.
The SPI for the consumption groups up to Rs17,732, Rs17,733 to Rs22,888, Rs22,889 to Rs29,517, Rs29,518 to Rs44,175 and for above Rs44,175 increased by 1.80 percent, 2.25 percent, 3.03 percent, 3.19 percent, and 3.94 percent respectively. During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 25 (49.01 percent) items increased, 11 (21.57 percent) items decreased and 15 (29.42 percent) items remained stable, says the PBS.
The items the prices of which increased included tomatoes (20.28 percent), chicken (7.57 percent), electricity charges for q1 (6.83 percent), toilet soap Lifebuoy (3.90 percent), petrol super (2.96 percent), onions (2.30 percent), powdered milk Nido(2.03 percent), cigarettes Capstan 20’s packet (1.69 percent), eggs (1.63 percent), moong (1.42 percent), potatoes (1.07 percent), rice irri-6/9 (0.81 percent), tea prepared (0.76 percent), gur (0.65 percent), cooked daal (0.53 percent), rice basmati broken (0.51 percent), bananas (0.49 percent), georgette (0.45 percent), mutton (0.42 percent), curd (0.35 percent), pulse mash (0.28 percent), long cloth 57” Gul Ahmed/Al Karam(0.14 percent), salt powdered (0.13 percent), cooked beef (0.04 percent) and wheat flour bag 20kg (0.03 percent).
The items which registered a decrease in prices include LPG (3.46 percent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib or other superior quality 1kg pouch each (1.16 percent), garlic (0.94 percent), mustard oil (0.71 percent), masoor (0.42 percent), pulse gram (0.36 percent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib 2.5kg tin each (0.33 percent), cooking oil Daldaor other similar brand (sn), 5 litre tin each (0.31 percent), hi-speed diesel (0.18 percent), firewood whole 40kg (0.16 percent) and sugar (0.03 percent).
The items, prices of which, remained unchanged included bread plain, beef with bone, milk fresh (un-boiled), chilies powder National, tea Lipton Yellow Label, shirting, lawn printed Gul Ahmed/Al Karam, gents sandal Bata pair, gents sponge chappal Bata pair, ladies sandal Bata pair, gas charges, energy saver Philips, Sufi washing soap, matchbox, and telephone call charges.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022