The weekly Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) inflation surged by 8.56 percent during the week ended June 12, reflecting an increase in the prices of some essential commodities. The provisional data, released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, shows that the SPI for the week under review was recorded at 212.21 points against 195.47 points over the same period of last year.
However, SPI inflation increased by 0.55 percent this week as compared to the previous week, rising from 211.04 points to 212.21 points. The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007-2008=100, covering 17 urban centres and 53 essential items for all income groups. The SPI for the lowest income group up to Rs 8,000 registered an increase of 6.87 percent during the week under review as compared to the same period last year.
During the week, average prices of 22 items registered an increase, while that of seven registered a decrease. The prices of 24 essential items remained unchanged during the week under review. The 22 items which recorded increase in their average prices included tomatoes, cigarettes k-2 (20''s), bananas, potatoes, sugar, onions, red chilies powder loose, milk powdered NIDO, washing soap (200-250 gm), lawn, georgette, shirting, tea prepared (sada), salt powdered loose (Lahore), long cloth, Mash pulse washed, gram pulse washed, rice basmati broken wheat, Masoor pulse washed, wheat flour bag and mustard oil.
The seven essential items which registered decrease in prices during the week under review included Moong pulse washed, garlic, chicken live (farm), vegetable ghee loose, egg hen (farm), LPG (11kg cylinder) and gur. The 24 essential items, prices of which remained unchanged during the week under review, included rice IRRI-6, bread plain medium size (340-400 gm), beef, mutton, milk fresh, curd, cooking oil (tin), vegetable ghee (tin), tea (yellow lable 200 gm), cooked beef plate, cooked daal plate, sandal gents Bata, Chappal sponge Bata (gents), sandal ladies Bata, electric charges, gas charges upto 100m³, kerosene oil, firewood, energy savor 14 watts, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone local call and bath soap lifebouy (standard).