ISLAMABAD The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based inflation declined to 9.27 percent during the week ended on April 2, showing lowest increase in last 14 months by falling to single digit when compared to the corresponding period of last year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported. As compared to the previous week, the SPI based weekly inflation for the combined consumption group witnessed decreased by 2.01 percent, the PBS data revealed. The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 125.52 points against 128.10 points registered in the previous week. The weekly SPI with base year 2015- 16=100 is covering 17 urban centers and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups. The Sensitive Price Indicator for the lowest consumption group upto Rs 17,732 witnessed 1.77 percent decrease and went down from 133.39 points in last week to 131.03 points during the week under review. Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs 17,733-22,888, Rs 22,889-29,517, Rs 29,518-44,175 and above Rs 44,175 per month also decreased by 1.91 percent, 1.95 percent, 2.10 percent and 2 percent respectively. During the week, out of 14 items, prices of 13 items decreased, 24 items decreased while that of 27 items remained constant. The items, which recorded decrease in their average prices included tomatoes, LPG, milk (fresh), onions, eggs, potatoes, curd, vegetable ghee (tin), vegetable (loose), cooking oil, chicken, wheat flour, mustard oil and firewood. The commodities, which recorded increase in their average prices included moong pulse, masoor pulse, gram pulse, mash pulse, bananas, gur, rice (Irri-6/9), garlic, beef, motton, milk (powdered), sugar and rice (Basmati). Similarly, the prices of the commodities that observed no change in their price during the week under review included bread, salt, chillies, tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked daal, tea (prepared), cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, georgette, gents sandal, gents sponge, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, energy saver, washing soap, match box, petrol, diesel, telephone call and bath soap. According to PBS analysis, the decrease in inflation was mainly due to a decline in prices of food items i.e Tomatoes (19.66%), Milk Fresh (4.78%), Onions (4.75%), Eggs (3.42%), Potatoes (2.80%), Curd (2.57%), Veg. Ghee 2.5kg (0.90%), Veg. Ghee 1kg (0.85%), Cooking Oil 5kg (0.83%), Chicken (0.45%), Wheat Flour (0.37%) and Mustard Oil (0.10%) and among non-food items LPG (13.75%) with joint impact of -2.19 into the overall SPI for combined group of (-2.01%).—APP
