Weekly Inflation
ISLAMABAD: Weekly inflation in Pakistan, as measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), witnessed a modest decline of 0.81% for the combined consumption groups during the week ending May 29, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday. This marks a slight relief for consumers following weeks of price fluctuations across essential commodities.
The SPI for the combined group stood at 309.8 points, down from 312.34 points recorded the previous week. Although the week-on-week numbers showed a downward trend, the year-on-year SPI reflected a marginal increase of 0.41%, indicating persistent inflationary pressure when compared to the same period last year.
The SPI index, based on the 2015-16 = 100 methodology, monitors price movements across 51 essential items in 17 urban centres and serves as a critical tool for assessing short-term inflation trends across various income groups.
According to PBS, all five consumption groups, ranging from the lowest to the highest income brackets, saw a decline in inflation during the reviewed week.
For households with monthly incomes up to Rs17,732, the SPI dropped by 0.67%, falling to 298.17 points from last week’s 300.18. Similarly, the index for households in the Rs17,732 to Rs22,888 income bracket fell by 0.95%, the steepest among all groups. Other brackets experienced declines as follows: 0.69% for Rs22,889–Rs29,517, 0.63% for Rs29,518–Rs44,175, and 0.74% for incomes above Rs44,175.
Out of the 51 items monitored, prices of 14 items (27.45%) increased, 10 items (19.61%) decreased, while 27 items (52.94%) remained unchanged.
Among the commodities registering notable week-on-week declines were electricity charges for the first quarter (down 10.1%), chicken (8.51%), LPG (2.67%), and sugar (0.25%). Other slight declines were seen in powdered milk, vegetable ghee, wheat flour, rice, garlic, and pulse moong.
Conversely, several food items experienced price hikes during the same week. Tomatoes surged by 4.54%, followed by potatoes (2.94%), eggs (2.19%), onions (2.17%), and bananas (0.73%). Prices of pulses, mustard oil, gur, cigarettes, and broken basmati rice also edged up marginally.
On a year-on-year basis, significant price increases were recorded for ladies’ sandals (55.62%), chicken (32.92%), eggs (32.3%), and several pulses and dairy items. Meanwhile, prices of some key items like onions (down 55.56%), electricity charges (36.54%), and potatoes (29.28%) dropped compared to the same week last year.
As inflation remains a major concern, these weekly fluctuations continue to reflect the complex dynamics of supply, demand, and seasonal trends in Pakistan’s commodity markets.
