ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based inflation for the week ended June 1, 2023, increased by 0.03 percent due to an increase in the prices of food items including onions (7.31 per cent), potatoes (2.89 per cent), chicken (2.87 per cent), tea prepared (1.56 per cent), tomatoes (1.11 per cent), salt powdered (1.08 per cent) and non-food item energy saver (2.16 per cent), says the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The year-on-year trend depicts an increase of 42.67 percent mainly due to an increase in the prices of cigarettes (138.50 per cent), tea Lipton (114.93 per cent), gas charges for q1 (108.38 per cent), wheat flour (105.56 per cent), bananas (88.96 per cent), potatoes (86.86 per cent), rice irri-6/9 (80.97 per cent), rice basmati broken (80.15 per cent), moong (60.40 per cent), bread (59.66 per cent), eggs (55.29 per cent), maash (53.70 per cent), washing soap (48.61 per cent), petrol (45.55 per cent) and diesel (45.18 per cent), while decrease is observed in the prices of tomatoes (42.14 per cent) and onions (29 per cent).
The SPI for the week under review was recorded at 254.13 points against 254.05 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest PBS data released on Friday.
During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 19 (37.25 per cent) items increased, 14 (27.45 per cent) items decreased and 18 (35.30 per cent) items remained stable.
The SPI for the consumption group up to Rs17,732 and Rs17,732-22,888 consumption group decreased by 0.08 per cent and 0.10 per cent while it increased for Rs22,889-29,517, Rs29,518-44,175 and above Rs44,175 increased by 0.08 per cent, 0.12 per cent and 0.05 per cent respectively.
The items, which recorded an increase in their average prices during the week over previous include onions (7.31 per cent), potatoes (2.89 per cent), chicken (2.87 per cent), energy saver Philips (2.16 per cent), tea prepared (1.56 per cent), tomatoes (1.11 per cent), salt powdered (1.08 per cent), beef with bone (1 per cent), rice irri-6/9 (1 per cent), cooked beef (0.60 per cent), mutton (0.54 per cent), milk fresh (0.52 per cent), bread plain (0.51 per cent), gur (0.41 per cent), curd (0.33 per cent), maash (0.24 per cent), masoor (0.19 per cent), powdered milk Nido(0.17 per cent), and sugar (0.13 per cent).
The commodities, which recorded a decrease in their average include LPG (4.46 per cent), wheat flour bag 20 kg (4.06 per cent), bananas (4.04 per cent), petrol super (2.96 per cent), eggs (2.57 per cent), hi-speed diesel (1.94 per cent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib or other superior quality 1kg pouch each (1.87 per cent), mustard oil (1.57 per cent),cooking oil Dalda or other similar brand (sn), 5 litre tin each (1.35 per cent), moong (1.27 per cent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib 2.5kg tin each (1.06 per cent), pulse gram (0.59 per cent), garlic (-0.37 per cent), and rice basmati broken (0.17 per cent).
The commodities, prices of which, remained unchanged included chilies powder National, tea Lipton Yellow Label, cooked daal, 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, gas charges, firewood whole 40kg, Sufi washing soap, matchbox, telephone call charges, and toilet soap Lifebuoy.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023