ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Index (SPI)-based inflation for the week ended September 26, 2024, increased by 0.05 per cent due to an increase in the prices of tomatoes (5.78 per cent), onions (5.49 per cent), pulse gram (1.01 per cent), milk fresh (0.26 per cent) and LPG (0.15 per cent), according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The year-on-year trend depicts an increase of 12.80 per cent mainly due to an increase in the prices of gas charges for q1 (570 per cent), pulse gram (60.21 per cent), onions (51.72 per cent), tomatoes (34.34 per cent), beef (25.61 per cent), powdered milk (25.41 per cent), shirting (20.17 per cent), chicken (17.07 per cent), cooked daal (15.97 per cent), salt powder (15.38 per cent), Georgette (13.78 per cent) and energy saver (12.87 per cent), while major decrease is observed in the prices of wheat flour (38.12 per cent), petrol (24.73 per cent), diesel (24.06 per cent), chilies powder (20.00 per cent), electricity charges for q1 (13.47 per cent), sugar (11.18 per cent), cooking oil 5 litre (10.87 per cent), rice basmati broken (9.86 per cent), masoor (9.22 per cent), vegetable ghee 2.5 kg (6.37 per cent), gur (6.19 per cent) and LPG (1.91 per cent).

During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 16 (31.37 per cent) items increased, nine (17.65 per cent) items decreased and 26 (50.98 per cent) items remained stable.

The SPI for the week under review was recorded at 317.76 points against 317.61 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 increased by 0.08 per cent, 0.07 per cent, 0.05 per cent, 0.05 per cent and 0.04 per cent respectively.

The items, prices of which, increased during the period under review include tomatoes (5.78 per cent), onions (5.49 per cent), pulse gram (1.01 per cent), potatoes (0.94 per cent), gur (0.82 per cent), firewood whole 40 kg (0.64 per cent), cooked daal (0.47 per cent), curd (0.32 per cent), milk fresh (0.26 per cent), chicken (0.25 per cent), beef with bone (0.24 per cent), LPG (0.15 per cent), rice irri-6/9 (0.14 per cent), rice basmati broken (0.11 per cent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib 2.5 kg tin each (0.07 per cent) and garlic (0.01 per cent).

Items prices of which decreased during the period under review include maash (1.80 per cent), moong (1.35 per cent), sugar (1.30 per cent), bananas (1.27 per cent), masoor (0.93 per cent), wheat flour bag 20 kg (0.66 per cent), eggs (0.28 per cent), cooking oil Dalda or other similar brand (sn), 5 litre tin each (0.18 per cent), mustard oil (0.03 per cent).

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024