The headline inflation (CPI) has increased 5.02 percent during May 2017 over the same month of last fiscal year, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). PBS on Thursday released Consumer Price Index figures and stated that 4.18 percent inflation was recorded during July-May 2016-17 of the current fiscal year as opposed to the same period of last fiscal year.
Year-on-Year data showed that inflation in food & non-alcoholic beverages increased by 4.55 percent in May 2017 over same month of last fiscal year, non-perishable food items 2.40 percent, perishable food items 18.10 percent, alcoholic beverages and tobacco 10.76 percent and clothing and footwear increase 3.68 percent.
The cost of housing water, electricity, gas and other fuels increased by 5.12 percent, furnishing and household equipment maintenance 2.59 percent, health 13.46 percent, transport 4.21 percent, communication 1.61 percent, recreation and culture 0.17 percent, education 11.17 percent, restaurant and hotel 5.37 percent and miscellaneous goods and services 5.34 percent.
The price of potatoes increased by (70.09 percent) in April 2017 as compared to the same month of last fiscal year, tomatoes (59.28percent) , dettol (47.98percent), cucumber (43.05percent), muskmelon (37.28percent), apple (28.19percent), mango kalmi (26.03percent), watermelon (24.45percent), tea lipton yellow label (24.13percent) and gram whole (21.42percent).
An increase of 4.18 percent in CPI was noted during July-May 2016-17 as opposed to the same period of last fiscal year on the back of gram whole price increased by (36.11 percent), potatoes (32.71 percent), pulse gram (26.02 percent), besan (25.10 percent), fresh vegetables (17.55 percent), cigarettes (14.32 percent), drugs & medicines (13.38 percent), eggs (12.35 percent) and education (10.63percent).
The price of onion decreased by (34.46 percent), pulse moong (10.22 percent), motor vehicle accessories (4.76 percent), chicken (3.85 percent), kerosene oil (3.70 percent) and motor fuel (2.99 percent). Trimmed core inflation during the month of May, 2017 over May, 2016 was recorded at 4.8 percent against 3.6 percent for the same month of last year and non-food and non-energy core inflation was recorded at 5.5 percent.