Inflation up 0.37pc week-on-week basis

ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), for the week ended on September 22, 2011, for the lowest income group up to Rs.8,000, has registered increase of 0.37 percent over the previous week.

The SPI for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 169.17 points as against 168.55 points registered in the previous week, according provisional figures of Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS).

The weekly SPI has been computed with base 2007-2008=100, covering 17 urban centers and 53 essential items for all income groups and combined.

SPI for the combined group registered nominal increase of 0.27 percent as it went up from 174.67 points in the previous week to 175.14 points in the week under review.

As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined group in the week under review witnessed increase of 9.00 percent.

As compared to the last week, the SPI for the income groups from Rs.8001-12,000, 12,001 to 18,000, 18001 to 35,000 and above Rs.35,000 increased by 0.32 percent, 0.32 percent, 0.27 percent and 0.21 percent respectively.

During the week under review average prices of 8 items registered decrease, while that of 26 items increase with the remaining 19 items' prices unchanged.

The items, which recorded decrease in their average prices during the week under, review included bananas, chicken (farm), garlic, sugar, moong pulse (washed), wheat (average quality), vegetable ghee (loose), and gram pulse (washed).

The items which registered increase in their prices included tomatoes, red chillies, egg hen (farm), onions, potatoes, cooked dal, rice (irri-6), washing soap, gur, LPG (11 kg cylinder), mustard oil, energy saver, firewood, rice basmati (broken), long cloth, lawn, shirting, milk (powdered), masoor pulse (washed), mash pulse (washed), mutton, georgette, beef, wheat flour (bag), curd and kerosene.

The items with no change in their average prices during the week under review included bread plain (midsize), milk (fresh), cooking oil (tin), vegetable ghee (tin), salt (powdered), tea (packet), cooked beef, tea (prepared), cigarettes, sandal (gents), chappal, sandal (ladies), electricity charges (1-100 unit), gas charges (up to 100 m3), match box, petrol, diesel, telephone local call and bath soap. (APP)