ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Index (SPI)-based inflation for the week ended September 5, 2024, decreased by 0.15 percent due to a decline in the prices of tomatoes (14.54 percent), chicken (1.55 percent), wheat flour (1.31 percent), diesel (1.23 percent) and petrol (0.68 percent), according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The year-on-year trend depicts an increase of 14.07 percent mainly due to increase in the prices of gas charges for Q1 (570 percent), onions (95.92 percent), pulse gram (51.20 percent), powered milk (26.15 percent), beef (23.88 percent), shirting (23.44 percent), garlic (21.81 percent), moong (19.68 percent), salt powder (19.15 percent), cooked daal (15.21 percent), Georgette (14.01 percent) and energy saver (12.87 percent), while major decrease is observed in the prices of wheat flour (37.69 percent), sugar (21.79 percent), chilies powder (20 percent), electricity charges for Q1 (16.91 percent), diesel (15.64 percent), petrol (15.03 percent), cooking oil 5 litre (10.77 percent), rice basmati broken (9.52 percent), gur (7.92 percent), vegetable ghee 2.5kg (6.80 percent), vegetable ghee 1kg (6.00 percent) and washing soap (0.92 percent).

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

The SPI for the week under review was recorded at 319.24 points against 319.73 points registered in the previous week, according to the PBS data released on Friday.

The SPI for the consumption group up to Rs 17,732 Rs 17,732-Rs 22,888, Rs 22,889-Rs 29,517, Rs 29,518-Rs 44,175 and above Rs 44,175 decreased by 0.14 percent, 0.17 percent, 0.15 percent, 0.16 percent and 0.15 percent respectively.

The items, prices of which, increased during the period under review include onions (3.83 percent), pulse gram (1.65 percent), garlic (1.38 percent), LPG (0.90 percent), cooked daal (0.70 percent), cooked beef (0.70 percent), eggs (0.54 percent), potatoes (0.50 percent), rice basmati broken (0.34 percent), bananas (0.22 percent), moong (0.17 percent), milk fresh (0.17 percent), georgette (0.14 percent), beef with bone (0.13 percent), salt powdered (0.07 percent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib or other superior quality (0.07 percent), gur (0.05 percent), powdered milk Nido 390gm polybag each (0.01 percent) and curd (0.01 percent).

Items prices of which decreased during the period under review include tomatoes (14.54 percent), chicken (1.55 percent), wheat flour bag 20kg (1.31 percent), chilies powder national 200gm packet each (1.30 percent), hi-speed diesel (1.23 percent), petrol super (0.68 percent), masoor (0.59 percent).

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024