ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation for the week ended September 29 recorded an increase of 0.94 percent due to a surge in the prices of food items including onions (47.77 percent), tomatoes (30.29 percent), tea Lipton (2.50 percent), bread (1.74 percent) and non-food item, washing soap (1.13 percent), according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The year-on-year trend depicts an increase of 30.62 percent, mainly due to an increase in prices of tomatoes (224.20 percent), onions (139.03 percent), diesel (105.12 percent), petrol (91.87 percent), pulse gram (74.56 percent, masoor (72.42 percent), mustard oil (64.53 percent), washing soap (63.33 percent), cooking oil 5 litre (61.78 percent), vegetable ghee 2.5 kg (58.37 percent), maash (57.36 percent), vegetable ghee 1kg (55.89 percent), gents sponge chappal (52.21 percent), and moong (47.96 percent), while decrease observed in the prices of electricity for q1 (45.61 percent), chillies powder (42.73 percent), sugar (18.27 percent), and gur (1.92 percent).
The SPI for the week under review in the above-mentioned group was recorded at 205.13 points against 203.21 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest PBS data released on Friday.
During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 20 items increased (39.22 percent), 10 items decreased (19.61 percent), and 21 (41.17 percent) items remained stable.
The SPI for the consumption group up to Rs17,732, Rs17,732-22,888, Rs22,889-29,517, Rs29,518-44,175 and above Rs44,175 increased by 1.55 percent, 1.43 percent, 1.16 percent, 1.03 percent and 0.72 percent respectively.
The items, which recorded an increase in their average prices during the week over the previous include onions (47.77 percent), tomatoes (30.29 percent), toilet soap Lifebuoy (2.51 percent), tea Lipton Yellow Label (2.50 percent), bread plain (1.74 percent), Sufi washing soap (1.13 percent), energy saver (0.99 percent), matchbox each (0.95 percent), powdered milk Nido (0.93 percent), rice irri-6/9 (0.92 percent), chicken (0.63 percent), gur (0.57 percent), moong (0.41 percent), rice basmati broken (0.40 percent), curd (0.35 percent), pulse gram (0.31 percent), milk fresh (0.17 percent), mustard oil (0.05 percent), mutton (0.03 percent), and eggs (0.02 percent).
The commodities, which recorded a decrease in their average prices included LPG (4.14 percent), wheat flour bag 20kg (2.99 percent), masoor (1.59 percent), bananas (1.50 percent), cooking oil Dalda or other similar brand, 5 litre tin each (1.12 percent), sugar (0.60 percent), garlic (0.22 percent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib 2.5kg tin each (0.17 percent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib or other superior quality 1kg pouch each (0.13 percent), and potatoes (0.13 percent).
The commodities prices of which remained unchanged included beef with bone, maash, salt powdered (National/Shan), chillies powder National, cooked beef, cooked daal, tea prepared, cigarettes Capstan 20’s packet each, long cloth 57” Gul Ahmed/Al Karam, shirting, lawn printed Gul Ahmed/Al Karam, Georgette, gents sandal Bata pair, gents sponge chappal Bata pair, ladies sandal Bata pair, electricity charges for q1 per unit, gas charges, firewood whole, petrol super, hi-speed diesel, and telephone call charges.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022