Weekly SPI down 0.22pc

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based inflation for the week ended December 17, for the combined consumption group, witnessed a nominal decline of 0.22 percent, compared with the previous week, according to the latest data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) released on Friday.

SPI for the week under review in the abovementioned group was recorded at 140.73 points against 141.04 points registered in the previous week, it added. SPI for the combined consumption group during the week under review witnessed an increase of 8.24 percent.

The weekly SPI with the base year 2015/16=100 is covering 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.

The Sensitive Price Indicator for the lowest consumption group up to Rs17,732 witnessed 0.96 percent decrease, as it went down to 146.04 points during the week under review from 147.46 points in last week.

Meanwhile, SPI for the consumption groups from Rs17,732 to Rs22,888, Rs22,889 to Rs29,517; Rs29,518 to Rs44,175; and above Rs44,175/month also decreased 0.60 percent, 0.56 percent; 0.51 percent and 0.03 percent, respectively.

During the week, prices of 20 items increased, eight items decreased, while that of 23 items remained unchanged.

The commodities, which recorded an increase in their average prices included electricity charges, garlic, petrol, diesel, bananas, eggs, washing soap, mustard oil, sugar, cooking oil (loose), gram pulse, vegetable ghee (tin), vegetable ghee (loose), mash pulse, shirting, milk (powdered), rice (Irri 6/9), LPG cylinder, firewood, and mutton.

The items, which recorded a decrease in their average prices included tomatoes, potatoes, onions, chicken, moong pulse, masoor pulse, gur and wheat flour.

Similarly, the prices of the commodities that observed no change during the week under review included basmati broken, bread, beef, milk (fresh), curd, salt, chillies, tea (prepared), cooked beef, cooked daal, tea (prepared) cigarettes, long cloth, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents chappal, ladies sandal, gas charges, energy saver, matchbox, telephone call, and toilet soap.

According to the PBS analysis, the decrease was mainly due to the fall in prices of food items ie, tomatoes (25.81 percent), potatoes (18.55 percent), onions (8.34 percent), chicken (2.25 percent), moong pulse (0.58 percent), masoor pulse (0.32 percent), gur (0.26 percent) and wheat flour (0.21 percent) with joint impact of (-1.06 percent) into the overall SPI for combined group of (-22 percent).