OBSERVER REPORT ISLAMABAD The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) based weekly inflation for the week ended on February 6, for the combined consumption group, increased by 0.21 percent as compared to the previous week. The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week under review in the above mentioned group was recorded at 131.35 points against 131.08 points registered in the previous week, according to the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). 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 up to Rs 17,732 witnessed 0.48 percent increase and went up from 134.06 points in last week to 134.70 points during the week under review. As compared to the corresponding week of last year, the SPI for the combined consumption group in the week under review witnessed an increase of 17.58 percent, while, for the lowest group, it increased by 16.18 percent. Meanwhile, the SPI for the consumption groups from Rs. 17,733-22,888, from Rs. 22,889- 29,517, Rs. 29,518-44,175 and above Rs 44,175 per month also increased by 0.42 percent, 0.35 percent, 0.28 percent and 0.09 percent respectively. During the week under review, average prices of 08 item registered decrease, while that of 16 items prices increased with the remaining 27 items’ prices unchanged. The items, which recorded decrease in their average prices included tomatoes, eggs, potatoes, LPG cylinder, wheat flour, chicken, gram pulse and mash pulse (washed). The items, which recorded increase in their average prices included garlic, vegetable ghee (loose), vegetable ghee (tin), cooking oil, onions, sugar, gur, moong pulse, bananas, tea (prepared), firewood, bread, rice (Irri-6/9), mustard oil, masoor pulse and mutton. Similarly, the prices of the commodities that observed no change in their price during the week under review included rice (Basmati broken), beef, milk (fresh), curd, milk (powdered), salt, chillies, tea (packet), cooked beef, cooked daal, cigarettes, long cloth, shirting, lawn, Georgette, gents sandal, gents sponge chappal, ladies sandal, electricity charges, gas charges, energy saver, washing sop match box, petrol, diesel, telephone local and toilet soap.—APP
