Islamabad Staff Reporter
A weekly report by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has recorded a 0.56% increase in the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) on a weekly basis and a 4.07% increase on an annual basis. According to the report covering the week ending on October 2, the SPI stood at 332.17 points, compared to 330.32 points in the previous week and 319.17 points on the same date last year.
During the week under review, prices of 12 essential items decreased, while 20 items remained stable. However, prices of 19 essential commodities witnessed an increase.
Among the items that registered a decrease in prices were:
- Chicken: ↓ 7.96%
- Banana: ↓ 0.78%
- Gram lentils (Chana): ↓ 0.67%
- Jaggery (Gur): ↓ 0.59%
- Potatoes: ↓ 0.43%
- LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas): ↓ 0.42%
- Eggs: ↓ 0.41%
- 5-liter Cooking Oil: ↓ 0.30%
- Moong Lentils: ↓ 0.29%
Conversely, items that saw a price hike included:
- Tomatoes: ↑ 46.44%
- Petrol: ↑ 1.72%
- Diesel: ↑ 1.45%
- Garlic: ↑ 1.41%
- Onions: ↑ 1.22%
- Red Chili Powder: ↑ 0.72%
- Mutton: ↑ 0.59%
- Beef: ↑ 0.41%
- 1kg Banaspati Ghee: ↑ 0.22%
- Yogurt: ↑ 0.19%
- Printed Lawn Fabric: ↑ 0.17%
- Georgette Fabric: ↑ 0.07%
In terms of income groups, the lowest income group earning up to Rs 17,732 per month faced the highest weekly increase of 0.82% in the SPI. The SPI increased for other income brackets as follows:
- Rs 17,733 – Rs 22,888: ↑ 0.76%
- Rs 22,889 – Rs 29,517: ↑ 0.61%
- Rs 29,518 – Rs 44,175: ↑ 0.57%
- Above Rs 44,175: ↑ 0.49%
The SPI is calculated based on the price fluctuations of 51 essential items across 50 markets in 17 major cities of the country.
