ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Index-based inflation for the week ended May 9, 2024, decreased by 1.39 per cent due to a decline in the prices of onions (19.22 per cent), chicken (18.83 per cent), wheat flour (4 per cent), LPG (3.67 per cent), bananas (2.32 per cent), garlic (1.44 per cent), rice basmati broken (0.75 per cent), and sugar (0.48 per cent), says Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The year-on-year trend depicts an increase of 22.32per cent mainly due to an increase in the prices of gas charges for q1 (570.00 per cent), onions (118.58 per cent), tomatoes (101.24 per cent), garlic (72.38 per cent), chilies powder (71.96 per cent), salt powder (32.59 per cent), energy saver (29.83 per cent), shirting (29.71 per cent), gents sandal (25.01 per cent), pulse mash (23.70 per cent), beef (23.30 per cent) and tea prepared (20.08 per cent) while a decrease is observed in the prices of bananas (38.79 per cent), wheat flour (28.21 per cent), chicken (20.27 per cent), cooking oil 5 litre (19.74 per cent), vegetable ghee 2.5 kg (16.73 per cent), vegetable ghee 1 kg (16.67 per cent), mustard oil (13.11 per cent), LPG (10.52 per cent), eggs (7.91 per cent), and diesel (2.04 per cent).

During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 12 (23.53 per cent) items increased, 13 (25.49 per cent) items decreased, and26 (50.98 per cent) items remained stable.

The SPI for the week under review was recorded at 312.56 points against 316.95 points registered in the previous week, according to the PBS data released on Friday.

The SPI for the consumption group up to Rs17,732, Rs17,732-Rs22,888, Rs22,889-Rs29,517, Rs29,518-Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175 decreased by 0.99 per cent, 1per cent, 1.35per cent, 1.49per cent, and 1.53 per cent respectively.

The items, prices of which, increased during the period under review include tomatoes (19.24per cent), eggs (4.73per cent), potatoes (4.38per cent), pulse gram (0.91per cent), cooking oil Dalda or other similar brand (sn), 5-litre tin each (0.89per cent), beef with bone (0.64per cent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib 2.5kg tin each (0.44per cent), milk fresh (0.41per cent),pulse moong (0.14per cent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib or other superior quality 1kg pouch each (0.10per cent), maash (0.07per cent), and mutton (0.05per cent).

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024