Pakistan’s weekly inflation drops by 0.35% amid price fluctuations

Pakistan’s weekly inflation, measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), recorded a decline of 0.35% for the combined consumption groups in the week ending March 20, according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The SPI for the reviewed week stood at 319.62 points, down from 320.75 points in the previous week. Compared to the same period last year, the index witnessed a decrease of 1.20%.

The SPI, based on 2015-16 figures, assesses price variations in 51 essential items across 17 urban centers, providing insight into inflation trends across different income groups.

Inflation trends by income group

The lowest consumption group, earning up to Rs 17,732 per month, saw a 0.39% reduction in SPI, bringing the index down to 308.43 points from 309.65 points. Similarly, the SPI for other income brackets showed marginal declines:

• Rs 17,732 to 22,888: Down by 0.35%
• Rs 22,889 to 29,517: Down by 0.39%
• Rs 29,518 to 44,175: Down by 0.40%
• Above Rs 44,175: Down by 0.36%

Price changes in essential commodities

During the week, prices of 11 out of 51 tracked items saw an increase, 18 items recorded a decrease, while 22 remained stable.

Major price declines (Week-on-Week):

• Tomatoes: -7.08%
• Onions: -6.07%
• Garlic: -5.59%
• Eggs: -4.64%
• Potatoes: -2.50%
• Sugar: -0.87%
• Firewood: -0.60%

Items that became more expensive (Week-on-Week):

• Lawn Printed Fabric: +2.90%
• LPG: +1.53%
• Bananas: +1.45%
• Long Cloth: +1.23%
• Bread: +0.55%
• Cigarettes: +0.27%
• Beef: +0.25%
• Curd: +0.24%

Year-on-Year price trends

On an annual basis, some essential items saw substantial price reductions, including:

• Onions: -67.67%
• Wheat Flour: -35.58%
• Tomatoes: -29.45%
• Electricity Charges: -18.92%
• Diesel: -9.37%
• Petrol: -8.55%

Conversely, several items recorded price hikes compared to last year:

• Ladies Sandals: +75.09%
• Pulse Moong: +26.96%
• Powdered Milk: +25.75%
• Beef: +21.01%
• Sugar: +18.65%
• Chicken: +18.23%
• Vegetable Ghee: +16.13%
• Bananas: +15.73%