ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Index (SPI)-based inflation for the week ended August 15, 2024, decreased by 0.16 per cent due to a decrease in the prices of onions (4.91 per cent), petrol (3.15 per cent), diesel (2.44 per cent), wheat flour (1.83 per cent), moong (1.81 per cent) and sugar (0.59 per cent), according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The year-on-year trend depicts an increase of 16.86 per cent mainly due to increase in the prices of gas charges for q1 (570 per cent), onions (125.64 per cent), pulse gram (42.00 per cent), tomatoes (27.77 per cent), powered milk (26.51 per cent), garlic (25.16 per cent), gents sandal (25.01 per cent), moong (24.64 per cent), shirting (23.84 per cent), beef (23.71 per cent), salt powder (21.14 per cent) and long cloth (16.64 per cent), while major decrease is observed in the prices of wheat flour (34.46 per cent), chilies powder (17.78 per cent), electricity charges for q1 (16.91 per cent), cooking oil 5-litre (11.10 per cent), petrol (10.07 per cent), diesel (9.22 per cent), vegetable ghee 2.5kg (8.84 per cent), rice basmati broken (8.59 per cent), vegetable ghee 1kg (6.85 per cent), mustard oil (5.43 per cent), sugar (5.17 per cent), and washing soap (0.35 per cent).

During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 19 (37.25 per cent) items increased, 13 (25.50 per cent) items decreased and 19 (37.25 per cent) items remained stable.

The SPI for the week under review was recorded at 322.03 points against 322.54 points registered in the previous week, according to the PBS data released on Friday.

The SPI for the consumption group up to Rs17,732 and Rs17,732-Rs22,888 increased by 0.07 per cent and 0.01 per cent respectively while decreased for Rs22,889-Rs29,517, Rs29,518-Rs44,175 and above Rs44,175 by 0.05per cent, 0.10per cent and 0.25 per cent respectively.

The items, prices of which, increased during the period under review include tomatoes (34.77 per cent), eggs (4.78 per cent), garlic (1.99 per cent), beef with bone (0.88 per cent), cooked beef (0.41 per cent), georgette (0.40 per cent), gur (0.39per cent), curd (0.32per cent), pulse gram (0.28per cent), mustard oil (0.28per cent), cooked daal(0.27per cent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib or other superior quality 1kg pouch each (0.20per cent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib2.5 kg tin each (0.20per cent), cigarettes Capstan 20’s packet each (0.07per cent), salt powdered (0.07per cent), rice irri-6/9 (0.06per cent), maash (0.04per cent), cooking oil Dalda or other similar brand (sn), 5 litre tin each (0.04per cent) and milk fresh (0.03per cent).

Items prices of which decreased during the period under review include onions (4.91 per cent), petrol super (3.15 per cent), hi-speed diesel (2.44 per cent), wheat flour bag 20 kg (1.83 per cent), moong (1.81 per cent), chicken (1.57 per cent), bananas (1.36 per cent), LPG (0.90 per cent), sugar (0.59 per cent), potatoes (0.58 per cent), masoor (0.56 per cent), rice basmati broken (0.09 per cent) and bread plain (0.03 per cent).

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024